Capão à Freamunde is a Portuguese roast capon filled with a bread, ham and port-wine stuffing and roasted on a bed of new potatoes. It is usually served with grelos (turnip greens) sautéed in olive oil and garlic. Capon, a rooster that has been neutered and fattened, is prized for its tender, moist meat and generous size, which is why it has long been a dish for special occasions in Portugal, including Christmas and Easter meals.
The name points to Freamunde, a town in the north of Portugal that is known for its capons. The stuffing is the signature of the dish: diced ham and the bird’s giblets are fried with onion and garlic, moistened with white wine, port and lemon juice, then thickened with torn bread and blended into a smooth, savory paste. As the capon roasts, the stuffing stays moist and the fat from the bird bastes the potatoes below.
For American kitchens, capons are sold fresh or frozen at many butcher shops and supermarkets in the weeks before Christmas, usually in the 6 to 8 pound range. A large roasting chicken works as a substitute. For another Portuguese holiday bird, see the Portuguese Christmas Stuffed Turkey (recipe on the site), and for the Christmas Eve table, the Portuguese Christmas Eve Boiled Cod, Bacalhau com Todos (recipe on the site).
Capão à Freamunde Recipe
Ingredients
- For the capon:
- 1 capon (6 to 7 pounds), with giblets if included, patted dry
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons ruby port
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the stuffing:
- 4 ounces cured ham (Portuguese presunto, Spanish Serrano or prosciutto), diced
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 5 garlic cloves, 3 chopped and 2 thinly sliced
- 5 slices day-old country bread (about 5 ounces), torn into pieces
- For roasting and serving:
- 1½ pounds small new potatoes, scrubbed
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1½ pounds turnip greens (grelos), or broccoli rabe or collard greens, trimmed
- Salt, to taste
Instructions
- Marinate the capon: place the bird in a large dish or bag and rub it inside and out with the white wine, port, lemon juice, 1½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Leave it for 15 minutes at room temperature while the stuffing is prepared.
- Start the stuffing: heat ¼ cup of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced ham and the chopped giblets (if using; set aside any liver for another use if preferred) and cook 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Add the onion and the 3 chopped garlic cloves and cook 5 minutes, until soft. Pour in the liquid drained from the capon marinade and bring to a boil, then simmer 2 minutes.
- Stir in the torn bread until it absorbs the liquid. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes, then blend or process until smooth (blend in batches and vent the lid; hot mixtures expand). Season to taste.
- Heat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the lower third. Fill the cavity loosely with the stuffing, then tie the legs together with kitchen twine and tuck the wing tips under the bird.
- Place the capon breast side up in a large roasting pan. Scatter the potatoes around it, toss them with a little salt, and spread the softened butter over the bird and the potatoes.
- Roast for 2 to 2½ hours, basting every 30 minutes with the pan juices, until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F and the center of the stuffing also reaches 165°F. Cover loosely with foil if the skin browns too quickly.
- Rest the capon for 20 minutes before carving. Meanwhile, boil the turnip greens in well-salted water for 5 to 8 minutes, until tender, and drain thoroughly.
- Heat the remaining ¼ cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the sliced garlic and cook 30 seconds, then add the greens and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Carve the capon and serve with the stuffing, potatoes, greens and pan juices.
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