Pot Roasted Stuffed Chicken

Total Time: 2 hrs Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 free-range chicken or 1 capon
• 4 ounces fatty pancetta
• 4 ounces prunes
• 4 ounces dried fruit
• 1 inch cinnamon stick, ground with
• 1/2 whole nutmeg, and
• 1/2 inch dried gingerroot
• garlic, if you like
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron, soaked in hot water (this can be left out)
• 2 glasses good dry wine
• 1 glass verjuice or 1 glass bitter orange
• orange peel
• 1 cup fresh breadcrumb
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh herb (parsley,marjoram,rosemary)
• 1 egg
• lemon juice
• grated lemon peel
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese or 1/2 cup mild cheddar cheese
• salt
• pepper
• garlic, if you like

Recipe

• 1 moisten the breadcrumbs in a little chicken stock or water and mix with the stuffing ingredients. taste for seasoning. stuff into the cavity of the bird.
• 2 put the chicken, breast side down, in a heavy casserole and pack the prunes and dried fruit around it with the pancetta and the spices and garlic.
• 3 pour the wine and verjuice(or bitter orange juice)into the casserole, and a little water to come half way up the chicken.
• 4 add a few scrapings of the orange peel.
• 5 cover with a tight-fitting lid;if neccesary seal it with a flour and water paste or cover with foil or grease-proof paper.
• 6 bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 1 1/2 hours, or until the bird is cooked.
• 7 take the bird out and carve it.put the pieces in a serving dish with spoonfuls of the stuffing and arrange the prunes and bits of fruit and bacon around it.
• 8 pour some of the cooking liquid over the chicken and serve hot.