Welcome to a festive culinary journey! Elevate your Christmas table with the aristocratic flavors of a Stuffed Rooster with Chestnuts and Dried Apricots, infusing your home with its delightful aroma. This dish, an excellent proposal for the most joyous day of the year, promises a blend of sophistication and rich flavors that embody the true spirit of the season.
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A Classic Recipe for the Festive Season
The stuffed rooster has a rich history tied to celebratory meals, often gracing tables during special occasions. This delightful dish, filled with minced beef, chicken livers, chestnuts, dried apricots, and a bouquet of spices, creates a symphony of flavors that harmonize perfectly with the festive spirit. Best savored during the holiday season, it embodies warmth, tradition, and indulgence.
Ingredients for Christmas Stuffed Rooster
The star ingredients of this holiday marvel include a whole rooster, embraced in a marinade of mild mustard, olive oil, and zesty citrus juices, partnered with aromatic spices like sweet paprika and curry.
The luxurious filling features a tantalizing blend of minced beef, chicken livers, finely chopped onions, leeks, boiled chestnuts, dried apricots, golden raisins, and pine nuts.
This flavorful concoction is elevated with a splash of METAXA or brandy, alongside a harmonious blend of ground cinnamon, orange zest, and a touch of butter.
The potatoes, a perfect complement to the rooster, are drenched in mustard, sprinkled with dried thyme and paprika, seasoned to perfection, and cooked to a golden, crispy finish.
Here’s a more elaborate take on the ingredients:
Rooster: The centerpiece of this celebratory feast, the whole rooster, stands tall as a symbol of indulgence and tradition. This 2.5 kg bird is the canvas upon which the flavors of the holiday season are painted.
Marinade: A harmonious blend of 100g mild mustard, 60g olive oil, and the zesty embrace of freshly squeezed orange juice infuses the rooster with a tangy richness. Sweet paprika powder, a hint of curry powder, and a careful seasoning of salt and freshly ground pepper contribute depth to the marinade, ensuring each bite bursts with festive flavors.
Filling: Prepare for a flavorful escapade with the filling! Picture 150g each of meticulously minced beef and tender chicken livers sautéed to perfection. Add a symphony of aromatics: finely chopped dry onion and the pristine white part of leek. This is the canvas upon which the festive tapestry unfolds. Now, imagine the earthy, comforting presence of 150g boiled chestnuts mingling with the sweet chewiness of 100g finely chopped dried apricots and the plumpness of 100g golden raisins. Enhancing this melody are 60g pine nuts, each contributing its nutty essence. Infuse it all with the magic of 50g olive oil, a hint of orange juice, and the opulence of 80g METAXA or brandy. Add a dash of unsalted butter, 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon, and the zest of a small orange for a citrusy spark. Season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper, and you have a filling fit for royalty!
Marinade for Potatoes: Let’s not forget the loyal companions to the rooster: the potatoes! 2 kg of French fries undergo a transformative experience. They are embraced by a blend of 2-3 tbsp mild mustard, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp sweet paprika powder, and a careful seasoning of salt and freshly ground pepper. These potatoes become not just a side dish but a flavorful extension of the festive ensemble.
This culinary journey transcends mere ingredients; it’s a symphony of flavors, textures, and aromas that weave together to create a festive masterpiece worthy of the most joyous celebrations!
How to Cook Christmas Stuffed Rooster with Chestnuts and Dried Apricots
Start this culinary adventure by meticulously preparing the rooster the night before, cleansing it thoroughly and patting it dry. Embrace it in a marinade crafted from a harmonious blend of mild mustard, olive oil, citrus juices, and a medley of spices. Allow this flavorful ensemble to infuse into the rooster by covering it with care and letting it rest in the refrigerator overnight, allowing anticipation to build as the flavors meld.
On the day of the feast, dive into the artistry of crafting the filling. Sauté minced beef and chicken livers until they exude a tantalizing aroma, then add finely chopped onions, leeks, and an exquisite medley of spices to impart depth and character. Grace this fragrant mix with boiled chestnuts, dried apricots, golden raisins, and pine nuts, drizzling in METAXA or brandy for that spirited touch. Allow these ingredients to dance together, weaving a tapestry of aromas and flavors that will elevate your festive fare.
Next, it’s time to orchestrate the rooster’s transformation into a culinary masterpiece. Tenderly stuff it with the aromatic filling, tucking a halved orange inside for an added burst of citrusy essence. Secure its legs with kitchen twine, nestling it into a roasting pan or Dutch oven. Surround this majestic bird with rosemary or thyme, infusing it with citrus juices and the lingering essence of the marinade.
As the rooster takes center stage in the oven, let your attention drift to the potatoes. Wash them meticulously, ensuring their purity, and then coat them in a delectable blend of mustard, paprika, and thyme. Arrange them around the rooster, allowing them to absorb the flavors of the festive medley. Pour a hint of water to envelop them, sealing their fate in the flavorful embrace.
Allow this spectacle to unfold in a preheated oven, where magic happens at 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius). As the tantalizing aroma of the feast fills your kitchen, let patience reign for the next hour and a half. Once the time has elapsed, unveil the rooster’s golden splendor by removing the parchment paper and foil, allowing it to attain its final flourish.
Serving Christmas Stuffed Rooster with Chestnuts and Dried Apricots
As the delightful aroma fills your kitchen and the rooster turns golden brown, savor the anticipation of this festive masterpiece. Once cooked to perfection, let the rooster rest, then present it on a platter surrounded by the flavorful filling and the golden, mustard-infused potatoes. The succulent meat paired with the savory filling and tender potatoes creates a festive feast fit for a celebration.
A Festive Feast Worth Savoring
Preparing this stuffed rooster with chestnuts and dried apricots isn’t just about cooking a meal; it’s an experience that brings warmth, tradition, and joy to your Christmas table. The process of preparing, roasting, and presenting this dish is a celebration in itself, an embodiment of the holiday spirit that’s meant to be shared with loved ones. Indulge in this flavorful journey, and let the festive cheer fill your home this holiday season.
Christmas Stuffed Rooster with Chestnuts and Dried Apricots
Ingredients
- 1 piece rooster (2,5 kg)
- 1 Kg French potatoes
- 1 piece small orange cut in half
- 2 - 3 piece sprigs of fresh rosemary or fresh oregano
- 1 piece orange juice for roasting the rooster
- 1 piece lemon juice for roasting the rooster
For the rooster marinade:
- 100 grams mild mustard
- 60 grams olive oil
- 1 piece orange juice from a small orange
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
For the filling:
- 150 grams ground beef
- 150 grams chicken livers
- 1 piece dried onion finely chopped
- 1 piece leek only the white part, finely chopped
- 150 grams chestnuts boiled
- 100 grams dried apricots finely chopped
- 100 grams blonde raisins
- 60 grams pine cone
- 50 grams olive oil
- 1 piece orange juice from an orange
- 80 grams METAXA or cognac
- 1 tablespoon cow butter
- 1/2 teaspoon spice powder
- 1 piece small orange zest
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
Marinade for the potatoes:
- 2 - 3 tablespoon mild mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika powder
- salt
- freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- The night before, clean the rooster and pat it dry with kitchen paper. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for the marinade, rub it inside and outside the rooster, then cover it with plastic wrap and leave it in the refrigerator overnight.
- The next day, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and butter. Sauté the minced beef and chicken livers until lightly browned.
- Add the chopped onion, leek, and spices (curry powder and ground cinnamon). Sauté until the vegetables are softened.
- Add the boiled chestnuts, dried apricots, golden raisins, pine nuts, and season with salt and pepper. Stir gently.
- Deglaze the mixture with METAXA or brandy, add orange juice, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.
- Take the marinated rooster and stuff it well. Place half an orange in the chicken's cavity, tie the legs with kitchen twine to prevent the filling from leaking during roasting.
- Place the rooster in a roasting pan or a Dutch oven. Add rosemary or thyme branches, the marinade, orange juice, and lemon juice. Cover with parchment paper and foil.Roast in a preheated oven at 190 degrees Celsius (375 degrees Fahrenheit) for 1 hour.
- Afterwards wash the potatoes and mix them with mustard, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Place them around the rooster, add a little water just enough to cover them, cover again with parchment paper and foil, and continue roasting for an additional 1 hour and 30 minutes.
- In the last 30 minutes, remove the parchment paper and foil to allow the food to dry.
- When the dish is ready, let it rest for a while. Place the rooster on a platter, cut the twine, and remove the orange. Pour the filling into a bowl, arrange the potatoes around the rooster, and serve.
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