Ingredients

• 1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and skinned
• 3/4 cup onion, chopped
• 3/4 cup celery, chopped
• 1/2 stick butter
• 2 cups stale bread crumbs
• 5-pound chicken
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 bay leaf, crumbled finely
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons honey mixed with 2 tablespoons melted butter, for basting Nutmeg, freshly grated

Directions

• Spread hazelnuts in 1 layer in a baking pan and toast 10 to 15 minutes in a 350°F oven, until they are lightly colored and the skins blistered. Wrap the nuts in a tea towel, let them steam for 1 minute, and rub them vigorously in the tea towel to remove skins. Chop nuts and set aside.
• In a stainless steel or enameled skillet, cook the chopped onion and celery in 1/2 stick butter, stirring for 3 minutes, or until mixture is softened slightly. Add the bread crumbs, hazelnuts, grated lemon rind, thyme, and bay leaf. Add salt and pepper to taste, and then cook mixture until it is well combined, about 2 minutes. Let the stuffing cool.
• Sprinkle the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper. Pack the body cavity loosely with stuffing, and then truss the chicken. Brush the chicken with the honey butter mixture and lightly sprinkle with the grated nutmeg. Put chicken on one side on a roasting rack and roast in preheated oven (425°F) for 15 minutes. Turn chicken to other side and roast for 15 minutes more. Reduce heat to 350°F, turn chicken breast side up, brush again with honey butter mixture, and roast for 1 hour or more—until juices run clear when the fleshy part of a thigh is poked with a fork. Transfer the chicken to a heated platter, let it stand for 15 minutes, and then remove trussing strings.