Roasted Capon with Potatoes

Method

1. Clean the capon: flame it to remove any feathers, then remove the two glands above the tail, excess fat, and giblets. Set the giblets aside.
2. Melt 60 g butter in the microwave for about 30 seconds until melted but not hot. Squeeze half an orange and add the juice to the butter. Season with salt (3 generous pinches) and pepper. Emulsify with a fork or a milk frother until creamy.
3. Finely chop the giblets and a small piece of the reserved fat. Season with salt and pepper and chop again until well combined.
4. Strip the leaves from 1.5 sprigs of rosemary (use only the needles) and finely chop with 2–3 fresh sage leaves. Add the chopped herbs to the giblet mixture along with a generous amount of thyme (dried or fresh) and 1 tablespoon of dry white wine. Mix well and let marinate for 10 minutes.
5. Stuff the capon’s cavity with the herb-giblet mixture. Add the remaining half orange (either left whole or cut into wedges) and 2 whole garlic cloves in their skins.
6. Brush the entire surface of the capon with the butter-orange emulsion, making sure the breast is well covered.
7. Truss the capon: tie the legs together to close the cavity, and secure the wings against the body to prevent drying.
8. Place the capon in a roasting pan. Drizzle with olive oil, pour any remaining butter emulsion over the top, add the peppercorns, one last whole garlic clove, the bay leaves, a little extra salt, and a glass of dry white wine.
9. Roast in a static oven at 170°C for about 3 hours (or 40 minutes per kg of weight). When the wine has evaporated (around halfway through cooking), add 2 ladles of hot vegetable broth. About 45 minutes before the end of cooking, add the potatoes cut into small chunks.
10. If the surface browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
11. Once cooked (internal temperature of 85°C if using a probe), remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Baste with the pan juices before serving.