Roast Capon

Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 50 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 (8 -10 lb) fresh capons
• kosher salt, to taste
• fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 lemons, quartered
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter or 4 tablespoons unsalted margarine, melted
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 2 lbs carrots, cut diagonally into 2-inch chunks

Recipe

• 1 sprinkle the bird liberally with salt, wrap it well and refrigerate until you are ready to roast it.
• 2 preheat oven 425ºf.
• 3 place the capon, breast side up, in a large (13"x16"x3") roasting pan and pat the outside dry with paper towels.
• 4 sprinkle the cavity generously with salt and pepper.
• 5 tie the legs together with kitchen string and tie the wings close to the body of the capon.
• 6 brush the capon with half the melted butter or margarine, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
• 7 place the onions and carrots in a large bowl.
• 8 add the rest of the melted butter or margarine to the carrots and onions in the bowl, plus 1 tablespoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper; toss well.
• 9 place the onions and carrots around the capon; use lemon juice on capon and place rosemary sprigs and quarterd lemons around the bird.
• 10 place the capon into the oven legs first (the back of the oven tends to be hotter than the front)and roast for 1-1/2, until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and thigh.
• 11 remove the capon from the oven and cover the pan with aluminum foil.(if the vegetables aren't browned, transfer the capon to a platter and cover with aluminum foil).
• 12 return the vegetables to the oven to cook while the meat rests.
• 13 allow the capon to rest for 20 minutes, then carve it and serve warm with the vegetables.
• 14 skim the fat off the pan juices and pour over the carved capon and vegetables.
• 15 for the whole dinner, serve; buttermilk mashed potatoes, green beans with shallots, orange-honey glazed carrots,and pumpkin mousse parfait. this is how the barefoot contessa served this meal.
• 16 enjoy!