Spit-roasted capon larded with bacon
A beautiful roasted fowl, larded with bacon and long basted in its own juices, golden and tender. The centerpiece of the second service, served with a salad and a glass of Burgundy.
A beautiful roasted fowl, larded with bacon and long basted in its own juices, golden and tender. The centerpiece of the second service, served with a salad and a glass of Burgundy.
When Madame de Lambert did me the honor of inviting me, a spit-roasted capon was served at her table, golden as a louis d'or and all larded with bacon. The maître d'hôtel basted it relentlessly with its own juice, and the flesh was so tender it melted under the tooth like a long-held secret. Believe me, Madame, nothing loosens the tongues of high society better than a perfectly roasted fowl and a glass of Burgundy.
- •Capon or fine chicken — one whole (centerpiece)
- •Bacon strips — enough to cover the breast (fat and protection)
- •Fresh butter — a good knob (basting)
- •Salt, mill pepper — to taste (seasoning)
- •Thyme and bay leaf bouquet — one small (aroma)
Spit-roasted capon larded with bacon
A beautiful roasted fowl, larded with bacon and long basted in its own juices, golden and tender. The centerpiece of the second service, served with a salad and a glass of Burgundy.
Why this dish? Marivaux frequented the salon of Madame de Lambert, where lavish dinners were held. The "roast" — a golden spit-roasted fowl — was the highlight of the meal, the dish around which the witty conversations the playwright so loved would swirl.
When Madame de Lambert did me the honor of inviting me, a spit-roasted capon was served at her table, golden as a louis d'or and all larded with bacon. The maître d'hôtel basted it relentlessly with its own juice, and the flesh was so tender it melted under the tooth like a long-held secret. Believe me, Madame, nothing loosens the tongues of high society better than a perfectly roasted fowl and a glass of Burgundy.
Ingredients (period version)
- Capon or fine chicken — one whole (centerpiece)
- Bacon strips — enough to cover the breast (fat and protection)
- Fresh butter — a good knob (basting)
- Salt, mill pepper — to taste (seasoning)
- Thyme and bay leaf bouquet — one small (aroma)
Ingredients
- Free-range chicken — 1 (1.8 kg) (centerpiece)
- Thin bacon slices (pork belly) — 4 to 6 (fat and protection)
- Butter — 50 g (basting)
- Salt, pepper — to taste (seasoning)
- Thyme, bay leaf — 1 bouquet (aroma)
Method
- Salt and pepper the fowl inside and out, slide the thyme and bay leaf into the cavity.
- Lard the breast with bacon slices tied on, place the chicken on its side in a dish.
- Roast at 200°C, basting every 15 minutes with melted butter and its own juices.
- Turn the fowl halfway through, remove the bacon 20 minutes before the end to brown the skin (total about 1 h 15).
- Let rest 10 minutes, deglaze the pan juices with water or broth, and serve sliced with a salad.
How it was made : Without a thermostat oven, roasting was done on a spit in front of the hearth, a kitchen boy turning the crank and basting the meat with its juices collected in a dripping pan. Larding with bacon moistened and protected the lean flesh. Capon, a fattened fowl, was a festive dish reserved for special occasions.
The contemporary twist : A few truffle shavings slipped under the skin before roasting — a luxury that even the fine gourmets of the 18th century already appreciated.
Sources : Menon, La Cuisinière bourgeoise (1746)
Marivaux · Charactorium
