Boned Capon Stuffed With Chestnuts & Cranberries
To drink: You can drink a full-bodied white, but reds such as New Zealand Pinot Noir and Australian Shiraz/Viognier blends work well with the meaty, slightly sweet stuffing. Try the Crater Rim Canterbury Pinot Noir 2010, £12.95, Lea & Sandeman (020 7244 0522).
Recipe from December 2012 issue of House & Garden. Recipes by Caroline Barty; photographs by Yuki Sugiura; food preparation & styling by Louisa Carter; wine recommendations by Joanna Simon; table styling by Alexander Breeze.
Top Tips
This works equally well with a capon chicken, a slow-reared cockerel or an extra-large chicken. Most butchers will bone it for you (ask for the bones for the stock).
Leftovers are delicious in a sandwich.
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Ingredients
Serves 6
Ingredients
FOR THE STUFFING:
FOR THE GRAVY:
TO SERVE:
Method
Step 1
For the stuffing, place the sausage meat in a mixing bowl and stir in the onion, chestnuts, breadcrumbs, cranberries, rosemary and egg. Season.
Step 2
Heat the oven to 190°C/fan oven 170°C/mark 5. Lay the bird on a board skin-side down. Season it, then lay the stuffing down the middle. Bring up both sides to overlap slightly and secure with skewers. Secure each end with a skewer; making sure the stuffing is not bursting out. Place the bird skin-side up in a roasting tin and smear the surface with the butter. Season, then roast for 1½ hours, basting at regular intervals.
Step 3
Remove from the oven, place on a serving plate, cover and leave to rest while you make the gravy. Pour off all but 3-4 tablespoons fat from the roasting tin. Place over a low heat and stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the Madeira and the stock. Stir and simmer the gravy for 3-4 minutes. Taste and season.
Step 4
Strain the gravy through a sieve before serving.
