End of the Season

I have been a bad blogger of late. I have had lots to post about, but haven't taken the time to do so.
I have, in the last few weeks, done the following:

1) successfully hunted for chanterelle mushrooms
2) gone to see Benjamin Bagby's "Beowulf"
3) made a duct tape bodyform of my own torso
4) inventoried a large chunk of my knitting projects

...and much more!

I finally decided I needed to share something, so I am sharing this:
















Meet Henny Penny. She is a Shakefork Farm free range chicken, all dressed and ready for roasting. I am smelling her roast even as I compose this post. Henny is lying on a bed of purple sunchokes that were first tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper. She is stuffed with chestnut dressing--my variation on the dressing from the 1975 edition of "The Joy of Cooking".

Chestnut Dressing:

1 lb chestnuts, peeled and chopped
1 cup dry bread cubes
2/3 cup chopped celery
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup whole milk yogurt
chopped giblets
chicken stock
salt pepper
butter
olive oil

Saute giblets, celery and onion in olive oil until onion is translucent. Add chestnuts and bread cubes, and toss to coat. Add poultry seasoning, white wine and stock to moisten. Add yogurt and parsley and mix well. Add a lump of butter (about 2 tbsp) and mix well. This will make the dressing taste richer. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stuff your birdie!

Henny is all golden and tasty and resting prior to carvage. Free range goodness! YUM!!















And for dessert: late season watermelon with lime and a sprinkling of paprika. Refreshing!