Ingredients
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1 large onion, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
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2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
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2 shallots, coarsely chopped
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1 teaspoon fresh thyme
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1 tablespoon of fresh mint, finely chopped
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2 tablespoons water
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1 tablespoon olive oil
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1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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2 cardamom pods or 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
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2 star anise
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2 black peppercorns
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4 white peppercorns
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 chicken, about 3 and 1/2 pounds, preferably free-range
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1/2 cup water
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1/2 cup chicken stock or 1/2 cup dry white wine
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1 cup water
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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5 1/2 tablespoons plain yogurt
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fresh ground black pepper
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1 garlic clove, chopped
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1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
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2 whole cloves or 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
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1 cup long grain white rice, raw
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
- Blanch the sweet potato in boiling water for two minutes, then drain, rinse in cold water and drain again.
- In a medium bowl, combine sweet potato, onion, apples, shallots, garlic, thyme and mint.
- Combine the 2 tablespoons of water and the olive oil and add to the vegetable mixture, tossing to coat.
- With a mortar and pestle (or with the back of a heavy skillet against a cutting board) lightly crush the cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, cloves, black and white peppercorns (you can use all black if that's what you have) with the teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Add half the spice mixture to the vegetables and reserve the rest.
- Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.
- Remove all the excess fat.
- Lightly stuff the bird's cavity with about half the vegetable mixture and tie the bird's legs together with kitchen string.
- Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and rub it all over with the reserved spice mixture.
- Scatter the remaining vegetable mixture around the chicken.
- Roast for about one hour.
- Remove the vegetables that are loose in the pan and set aside in a bowl.
- Continue roasting for another 30 minutes or until your meat thermometer, inserted in the thigh, reaches 160°F.
- During this time, if the pan becomes too dry, add water a few tablespoons at a time.
- Transfer chicken to a board, remove stuffing and add it to the other vegetables, and cover the chicken loosely with foil.
- Keep the vegetables warm.
- Place the roasting pan over heat on the stove top and add the water and stock or white wine.
- Bring liquid to a boil, stirring and scraping to deglaze the pan.
- Pour the liquid into a measuring cup, degreasing as best you can.
- Pour about 1/2 of a cup of the liquid into a sauceboat and keep warm.
- Add, if necessary, water to the remaining de-glazing liquid so that you have one cup.
- Combine the rice, one cup of water, one cup of deglazing liquid and the salt in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a boil over high heat.
- As soon as the rice boils, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook the rice till done, about 18 minutes.
- Remove from heat and fold rice together with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the yogurt and the reserved vegetables.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Combine the remaining yogurt with the pan juices in the sauce boat.
- Carve the chicken and serve with rice, passing the sauceboat for those who need a little extra liquid.