• 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
• 3/4 cup onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 stick butter
• 2 cups stale bread crumbs
• 1 5-lb. chicken
• 1/2 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
• 1/2 bay leaf, crumbled fine
• salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp. honey mixed with 2 Tbsp. melted butter for basting
• freshly grated nutmeg

Spread hazelnuts in one layer in a baking pan and toast 10 to 15 minutes in a 350 degree F. oven until they are lightly colored and the skins blistered. Wrap the nuts in a tea towel, let them steam for 1 minute, and rub them vigorously in the tea towel to remove skins. Chop nuts and set aside.

In a stainless steel or enameled skillet, cook the chopped onion and celery in 1 /2 stick butter, stirring for 3 minutes or until mixture is softened slightly. Add the bread crumbs the hazelnuts, the grated lemon rind, thyme and bay leaf. Salt and pepper to taste, then cook mixture until it is well-combined, about 2 minutes. Let the stuffing cool.

Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Pack the body cavity loosely with stuffing, and truss the chicken. Brush the chicken with the honey butter mixture and lightly sprinkle with the grated nutmeg. Put chicken on one side on a roasting rack and roast in pre-heated oven (425 degrees F.) for 15 minutes. Turn chicken to other side and roast for 15 minutes more. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F., turn chicken breast side up, brush again with honey butter mixture and roast for one hour or more--until juices run clear when the fleshy part of a thigh is poked with a fork. Transfer the chicken to a heated platter, let it stand for 15 minutes, and remove trussing strings. Meanwhile, prepare the Cumberland Sauce.

Copyright © 1997-2004 Suzanne Barrett and licensors. All rights reserved.