Herb roasted capon with apricot-walnut stuffi
6 Servings
Ingredients
| Quantity | Ingredient | |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Ceideburg | ||
| ½ | pounds | To 1 lb loaf French bread |
| 1 | cup | Walnuts, coarsely chopped |
| 2 | Shallots, finely chopped | |
| 2 | tablespoons | Walnut oil |
| 2 | tablespoons | Butter |
| ¾ | cup | Dry white wine |
| ¾ | cup | Dried apricots, quartered |
| 2 | teaspoons | Fresh thyme, minced |
| 1 | tablespoon | Fresh sage, minced |
| ½ | teaspoon | Salt |
| ½ | teaspoon | Freshly ground black pepper |
| 2 | ounces | Prosciutto, chopped |
| ¾ | cup | Minced fresh parsley |
| 1 | Egg, beaten | |
| ¾ | To 1 cup homemade or canned chicken broth | |
| 7 | pounds | To 9 lb capon |
| 2 | tablespoons | Walnut oil |
| 2 | tablespoons | Buffer |
| 1 | tablespoon | Fresh sage, minced |
| 1 | tablespoon | Fresh thyme, minced |
| 1 | tablespoon | Fresh savory, minced |
| ¼ | teaspoon | Salt |
Directions
APRICOT-WALNUT STUFFING
CAPON
To prepare Dried Apricot-Walnut Stuffing: Slice and cut bread into ½-inch cubes and place in shallow roasting pan. Bake about 20 minutes at 350 degrees until slightly dry, stirring twice. Toast walnuts at same time in shallow pan for 10 minutes, stirring once.
Cook shallots in walnut oil and butter in medium saucepan until tender but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add wine, apricots, thyme, sage, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
Combine bread cubes, walnuts, wine-shallot mixture, prosciutto, parsley and egg in very large bowl. Add chicken broth until desired moistness is attained.
To prepare capon: Just before roasting, stuff capon. Spoon stuffing loosely into neck cavity, then pull neck skin back and fasten with small skewer. Lightly spoon stuffing into body cavity. (Bake remaining stuffing in buttered 1½-quart casserole at 325 degrees during last 40 to 45 minutes of capon's roasting time.) Tie drumsticks securely to tail. Twist wing tips under the back.
Place bird breast side up on rack in shallow roasting pan. Combine walnut oil with butter in small pan and melt over low heat. Stir in sage, thyme, savory and salt, and cook until herbs wilt slightly.
Brush some mixture over capon. If using meat thermometer, insert it into one of inside thigh muscles.
Cover capon loosely with foil. Roast at 325 degrees 3 to 3 ½ hours.
After 2 hours, cut string between drumsticks so thighs cook evenly.
Uncover last 45 minutes, basting occasionally with remaining herb butter. Continue roasting capon until meat ther- mometer registers about 180 degrees.
Remove bird from oven and cover with foil. Let bird stand 10 to 15 minutes before carving.
From the Oregonian FOODday, ⅕/93.
Posted by Stephen Ceideburg