Recipe: Roast chicken with Challah-Apple Stuffing

ROAST CHICKEN WITH CHALLAH-APPLE STUFFING

"Challah, the buttery Jewish bread, is as wonderful for stuffing as it is for bread pudding or toast. Here, the chickens need to be marinated in spices for at least a day in advance of cooking, so plan ahead."

2 roasting chickens
FOR THE MARINADE:
4 tablespoons onion powder
4 tablespoons garlic powder
4 tablespoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
FOR THE STUFFING:
4 tablespoons corn oil, divided use
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup celery, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 Macintosh apples, peeled, cored and cut into 3/4-inch pieces, 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup raisins
3 cups scrubbed mushrooms, chopped into 3/4-inch pieces, 1/4-inch thick
10 cups cubed Challah bread
1 tablespoon schmaltz (melted chicken fat), optional
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
3/4 cup pecan halves
1 teaspoon salt

Wash the chickens thoroughly in cold water and clean out their cavities. In a bowl, combine onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Dredge the chickens (outside only) in this mixture, making sure all parts are covered. Place in a dish covered with aluminum foil, and refrigerate overnight.

TO STUFF AND ROAST THE CHICKENS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the corn oil in a large skillet, and saute onions until brown. Remove with a slotted spoon to a large bowl.

Saute celery for a few minutes and remove with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the onions.

Add 1 tablespoon corn oil to the skillet, and saute apples until lightly browned, adding the raisins when almost finished and browning for 1 more minute. Remove with a slotted spoon to the bowl with the onions and celery.

Finally, add remaining 1 tablespoon corn oil to skillet (or a bit more if needed), brown the mushrooms, and remove with a slotted spoon to the bowl.

Place the Challah cubes in a colander and moisten with water by sprinkling a bit at a time and tossing. Do not soak. Press out excess water and transfer to the bowl with sauteed ingredients. Add schmaltz, eggs, poultry seasoning, pecans and salt. Mix thoroughly with hands.

Stuff the mixture into the cavities of the chickens and tie their legs together with string. Place in a baking pan with 1 inch of water. Place extra stuffing in a separate baking dish.

Bake, the chicken breast up, for 1 hour and 20 minutes (or until the chickens are nicely browned and the legs move easily). Baste every 20 minutes with pan juices. Bake extra stuffing along with the chickens (1 hour only), spooning pan juices on it every 20 minutes when basting the chickens to keep it moist.

Makes 8 servings
Source: The 2nd Avenue Deli Cookbook: Recipes and Memories from Abe Lebewohl's Legendary Kitchen by Sharon Lebewohl, Rena Bulkin, and Jack Lebewohl