How to make
I have used for the given recipe a larger hen about 5.5 lb (2.5 kg)
Chestnuts of small size are needed, they are ready and sold in jars - straight for cooking.
With a lit candle the hen is cleaned to burn and remove any excess feathers.
Wash under running water and dry it all over with paper towels.
Carefully slide the fingers of one hand between the skin and meat of the hen to open up a space around the back bone. This space is filled with the pieces of extra butter by hand. Leave it aside.
Heat olive oil, about 1 tablespoon, in a frying pan at a moderate temperature, add chopped onion and let it caramelize slightly, add chopped celery. Sprinkle with thyme and leave it on a moderate heat for 1-2 minutes.
Add diced bacon and cook until nicely browned, stirring occasionally.
The apple is cleaned from the seeds, not peeled, diced and added to the pan, stir until lightly browned, finely sliced garlic is added and handfuls of chestnuts are added.
Stir for about 2-3 minutes and sprinkle with the chopped vegetable broth cube, stir again to flavor the mixture and add the lump of butter. It is left on the pan with periodic stirring. Finally, the cognac is poured, flambéed and left until the flame goes out. Remove from the heat. The stuffing mixture is ready.
The outside of the hen is salted with salt and black pepper. Drizzle olive oil and spread it everywhere with your hands.
It is filled with the stuffing and closed with an orange wedge. Its thighs are tied with kitchen thread.
The whole hen is placed in a large baking paper, wrapped. Wrap it with aluminum foil on top. Place a rack in the baking tray and place the stuffed hen on top.
Roast at 360°F (180°C) for about 2 - 2.5 hours.
Remove from the oven, let it cool. Then the foil and baking paper are removed. Juice from the hen forms in the baking paper.
Carefully pour it into a pan, add the juice of 1 orange, the balsamic vinegar, sprinkle with a little black pepper, if necessary, add salt and let it boil on the stove. Then it is removed, strained and poured into a gravy boat. The sauce for the roasted hen is ready.
Garnish
The apples are cleaned only from their seed part, they are not peeled. They are cut into thick slices.
They are placed in a heated pan and when stirred or tossed in the pan, they are left to seal, to form slightly brownish spots.
Add the sugar, stir and let it caramelize, pour the honey. Season with salt and black pepper and add the rosemary sprig. Stir, dipping the apple pieces into the liquid. Add the butter, let it melt and pour the cognac. It is flambéed.
It is served in a suitable platter, placing the stuffed hen in the middle and the apples on the side.
The roasted hen or turkey with chestnuts and apples is complemented with sauce if desired.
