170 minutes
A festive and flavorful dish featuring a capon stuffed with brandy-soaked dried fruits and a savory pork mixture, roasted with aromatic spices and served with a rich brandy sauce.
0 lb
to taste
Olive Oil, divided
tablespoons
Golden Delicious Apples, peeled, cored, and halved
each
Onion, quartered
each
Garlic, halved horizontally
each
Tomatoes, peeled and quartered
each
each
each
Sweet White Wine
cups
Brandy, divided
cups
to taste
Soft Pitted Prunes
0 lb
Soft Dried Peaches Or Apricots
0 lb
Ground Pork
0 lb
Thin Pork Sausages Or Italian Pork Sausages, skinned and sliced
0 lb
cups
cups
teaspoons
Large Onion, chopped
each
1. Preheat Oven and Prepare Capon
Preheat your oven to 375°F. While the oven is warming up, prepare the capon by removing the neck and giblets, rinsing it thoroughly, and then seasoning it generously with salt. Rub the bird all over with about two tablespoons of olive oil.
2. Stuff and Roast Capon
Stuff the cavity of the capon with the apple halves. Place the capon breast side down in a large roasting pan. Surround the bird with the quartered onions, garlic, tomatoes, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Pour the cup of sweet white wine over everything. Cover the roasting pan with foil and place it in the middle of the oven to roast for 1 hour and 10 minutes.
3. Prepare Stuffing
While the capon is roasting, prepare the stuffing. Start by soaking the prunes and dried peaches or apricots in half a cup of brandy for 30 minutes. Heat two to three tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until it becomes soft and translucent. Stir in the ground pork, seasoning with salt and pepper, and cook until the meat changes color. Add the skinned and sliced sausages, cooking until they too change color. Stir in the pine nuts, ground almonds, and cinnamon, mixing well. Finally, add the soaked fruits along with the brandy they were soaking in, and combine everything thoroughly.
4. Shape and Cook Stuffing
Shape the stuffing into a parcel using foil, or place it in a deep baking dish and press it down firmly. Cover it with foil and place it below the capon in the oven.
5. Finish Roasting Capon
After the initial roasting time, remove the foil from the capon and carefully turn it breast side up. Continue roasting it uncovered for another 35 to 50 minutes, or until the juices run clear when the thigh is pierced.
6. Prepare Sauce
Once the capon is done, transfer it to a serving platter and let it rest while you prepare the sauce. Remove the fat from the pan juices and deglaze the roasting pan with the remaining half cup of brandy, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste, and pour it into a jug.
7. Serve
Serve the carved capon with the brandy sauce on the side. Enjoy this flavorful Catalan-style feast, rich with the sweetness of dried fruits and the warmth of spices.
Use port wine with dried cherries for a richer, sweeter stuffing.
For a more traditional Thanksgiving meal, substitute the capon with a turkey, adjusting cooking times for the larger bird.
Add ground sausage for a meaty flavor and diced apples for a hint of sweetness.
Incorporate the zest of an orange or lemon into the stuffing or the sauce for a fresh, aromatic lift that cuts through the richness of the capon.
A more readily available and smaller option that cooks faster and is perfect for a family dinner.
Choose a fresh, high-quality capon. The quality of the bird will greatly impact the final dish. If possible, source it from a reputable butcher or farmer's market.
Start roasting your capon at a higher temperature to get a nice golden-brown skin, then lower the temperature to cook it through without drying it out. Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness.
Once out of the oven, let the capon rest for at least 20 minutes before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute and makes for a juicier bird.
Be careful not to over-stuff the bird. The stuffing will expand as it absorbs juices, and over-stuffing can lead to uneven cooking. Also, truss the capon after stuffing to ensure even cooking and to keep the stuffing in place.
If time allows, brine your capon for 24 hours before cooking. This ensures a juicy and flavorful bird. Use a simple brine solution of water, kosher salt, sugar, and perhaps some aromatics like bay leaves, peppercorns, and citrus zest.
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