CHRISTMAS CAPON

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This Christmas Capon Recipe is our holiday favorite. The Capon is tender and juicy and oh so flavorful, sprinkled with Herbes de Provence. Its size is impressive and perfect for feeding 8 guests. Served with a luxurious mushroom, white wine and cream sauce, the Christmas Capon is decadent and deliciously festive - perfect for the most important meal of the year for many French people.

1 Capon (about 8 lbs) I got mine from D'Artagan delivered to my house. You can order the D'Artagnan Capon here. 1 cup butter at room temperature 2 tbsp Herbes de Provence 10 cloves of garlic, peeled

Ingredients

1 cup finely diced carrots 4 shallots, sliced and diced into small pieces 13 oz of Shitake Mushrooms, trimmed and sliced into thin slices 1 pint (473 ml) of heavy cream, the kind that is used for whipping cream 1 cup dry white wine 3 tbsps olive oil I cup of chicken drippings (from the Capon Roasting Pan 

Ingredients FOR SAUCE

STEPS:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F Make a pomade with the butter and Herbes de Provence, blending well in a little bowl. Chop up half of the garlic into small pieces and add it to the pomade. Mix again. Remove Capon from the bag and make sure to extract the giblets and the neck from inside the cavity. You can use the neck for soup if you wish or simply discard. Sprinkle olive oil into the bottom of an oven safe baking dish before setting the bird inside. Using your fingers, gently lift the skin up off the bird from the tail end and scoop the butter pomade under the skin, over the top of the meat.

STEPS:

Spread all over the breast of the Capon, under the skin. Disperse the remaining garlic cloves under the skin and in the cavity of the Capon. You can add an extra head of garlic, split in half width wise in the dish as well for extra flavor. Spread the remaining butter pomade over the top of the breast and thighs Using butchers twine, tie the drumsticks together. Set in the oven on the middle rack. Baste every 30 minutes, turning the baking dish around in the oven each time so that all sides are evenly baked (this is especially helpful if your oven doesn't heat evenly)

STEPS:

2.5 hours cooking time and your 8 lb Capon should be done! Remove the Capon from the oven and let it rest (in the baking dish) on the countertop while you make the sauce. *Letting the Capon rest on for 20 minutes before serving allows the juices to settle back into the meat. A key for a juicy roast Capon (or Chicken!)

1. In a sauce pan over medium high heat, drizzle a little olive oil. 2. Add in the shallots and add in the 3 tbsps of olive oil. 3. Allow the shallots to reduce for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the carrots. 4. Allow to simmer for 2 minutes more then add the white wine. 5. Simmer for 3 minutes more for the wine to reduce. 6. Add in the mushrooms, stir frequently for 5 minutes for the mushrooms to soften. 7. Pour in the cream and stir briskly. Reduce heat to medium. 8. Using a ladle, scoop out the drippings from the bottom of the Capon to make one cup of drippings. It is ok if you have a little less - this is more for flavor in the sauce.

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