Capon with Rosemary
Aromatic rosemary and rich foie gras are a secret surprise awaiting guests as they cut into the brown and tender capon breasts. This is an easy dish to prepare, and roasting-chicken breasts may be substituted for the capon breasts.
Ingredients
- Capon Breast - two, 12-ounce, halves, boned, skin on
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Fresh rosemary sprigs - 2
- Fresh foie gras - two, 3-ounce slices, trimmed and soaked (optional)
- Olive Oil - 3 tablespoons
- Fresh Asparagus - 1 pound, trimmed
- Red Bell Pepper - 1, seeded, deribbed, and cut into 1/2-inch strips
- Capon or Chicken Stock - 1 cup
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 500 F. Make a slit almost all the way through each capon breast to form a deep pocket, then turn the top half of the meat over without detaching it from the bottom layer. Sprinkle each breast lightly with salt and pepper.
Pull the leaves off both rosemary sprigs, discard the stems, and divide the leaves between the inside of each capon breast. Slice the foie gras into 1/2-inch-thick slices and lay the slices down the middle of the capon breast. Reshape the breasts by folding them over the foie gras and press the edges together to seal.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large ovenproof saute pan or skillet over high heat. When the oil is beginning to smoke, place the capon breasts in the pan, skin-side down, and sear for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the capon is golden brown. Turn the breasts over and place in the preheated oven for 20 minute, or until both sides are golden and the breasts are opaque throughout.
While the capon is cooking, arrange the asparagus in a flat layer on a baking sheet. Place the red peppers in a parallel layer over the asparagus. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Roast in the oven for 5 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
Remove the capon breasts from the oven and transfer to heated serving plates. Arrange asparagus and peppers around each breast. Return the pan used to cook the capon to high heat. When the oil begins to sizzle, add the stock and cook to reduce until it is syrupy, stirring to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour this sauce over the meat and serve.
