Stuff and Nonsense

We roast a chicken once a week, more or less. We love roast chicken. The thin, crispy skin, the juicy meat, the veggies we roast alongside, the fact that we can roast once and eat thrice (and four times, if I make soup from the bones) - what's not to like?

Is this where I admit that it's possible to get a little tired of roast chicken with lemon juice and herbes de Provence? Our usual favorite just didn't have the same appeal.

I thought about taking a chicken break but we do love chicken and I was also tired of all the red meats we enjoyed during the holidays. Nonsense, I thought, I'll just change it up a bit, stuffing my bird for a little variety and I'll see if that wakes up the old appetite. Turns out I made such a dreamy winter stuffing that I thought I'd share it with you.

First, I sautéed about three tablespoons of diced pancetta in a wide frying pan. Once the fat was rendered a bit, I added a coarse dice of kabocha squash and let that cook a bit while I minced a big clove of garlic and chopped a quarter of a large onion. Into the pan they went with about 3/4 of a peeled Golden Delicious apple, also chopped coarsely. When the onion was translucent, it all got packed into the body of a pretty large chicken and popped into a 350 degree oven for an hour. Served alongside the chicken and some bright green broccoli, it was a simple but heavenly winter dinner, warm with color and flavor and a nice twist to an old favorite.