Christmas Stuffed Rooster with Chestnuts and Dried Apricots
Taking the lead on the Christmas table is a stuffed rooster, aristocratic and flavorful, filling the house with its delightful aroma. An excellent proposal for the festive table on the most beautiful and joyous day of the year.
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.