Roast Chicken with Wild Rice, Walnut
and Dried Fruit Stuffing

Picture
Ingredients
1 cup leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned, thinly sliced
2 cups onions, 1/2 inch dice
3/4 cup celery, 1/2 inch dice
1 cup wild rice
3 cups apple cider
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup applejack brandy
1/2 cup green apple, peeled, cored, and 1/2 inch dice
1/4 cup dried cherries, diced
1/4 cup dried apples, diced
1 cup walnuts, toasted, chopped
4 tablespoons rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons thyme, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 roasting chicken, 6 lbs

Directions
1    Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C).
2    Melt half the butter over medium heat.
3    Add the leeks, onions, and celery; sauté until tender, about 6 minutes.
4    Add the wild rice and sauté for 2 minutes.
5    Add 1 cup (8 ounces, 237 ml) apple cider, the chicken stock, and Applejack. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook 30 minutes or until tender.
6    Add the fresh apple and dried fruit. Cover and cook 15 minutes more or until rice is tender.
7    Stir in the nuts and half the rosemary and the thyme. Correct the seasonings and cool stuffing completely.
8    Combine the remaining butter and rosemary. Set aside.
9    Season the chicken on all sides. Loosen the skin from the breasts and spread the rosemary butter over the breast meat under the skin. Stuff chickens with rice mixture; do not pack too tightly.
10    Set the chicken on a rack in a shallow pan. Roast, basting with remaining apple cider, until juices run clear, about 2 hours.
11    Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with pan drippings and rice stuffing.

*I was absent this day, no critique