Stuffed Chicken with White Gravy

(NOTE: Requires some skill in de-boning 1 whole dressed chicken.)

CHICKEN:
1. Wash and pat dry 1 whole dressed chicken (about 1.5 kilos or 3 lbs. in weight). Make sure that the skin is still intact.
2. Using kitchen shears or a very sharp chef's knife separate the chicken meat from the skin and make sure not to tear the skin.
3. Detach the wings and thigh from the main body leaving them inside the skin while you remove the breasts, neck and ribs.
4. You will be left with the whole skin intact with the wings and legs still attached. Set aside and lay out flat on a plate, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the ref.
5. Cut up the breasts into ½ inch cubes and set aside.
6. Place the carcass of the chicken in a pot of boiling 5 cups of water.
7. Add 1 large carrot (chopped), 1 stalk large celery (chopped), 2 large white onions (chopped), 4 cloves garlic (crushed), 2 white part of leeks (chopped), 6 slices of ginger (around 15gms), salt and pepper.
8. After the chicken stock is ready, strain and set aside at least 4 cups of stock.

SAUCE:
1. In a sauce pan bring to a simmer 1½ cups of chicken stock and add 1/3 cup oyster sauce, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 1 tsp sesame oil, 1 tsp Chinese cooking wine (rice wine will also do) and 2 tsp brown sugar.
2. Once adjusted to desired taste, add 3 tsp cornstarch diluted in 5 tsp water.
3. Once the sauce has thickened set aside.
4. Set aside at least 2 tbsp for the White Gravy.

STUFFING:
1. In a wok or skillet heat in 2 tbsp oil and saute 4 tsp of minced ginger, 1 large onion (minced), and 6 cloves garlic (minced).
2. Once the onion and garlic are a little translucent add 2 Chinese sausages cut into ¼ inch thick rings.
3. Add the cut up chicken breasts and half the sauce.
4. Add 4 cups of cooked Jasmine rice and mix well.
5. Add ¼ kilo deveined large white shrimps (chopped) and the remaining sauce.
6. Add the 1 cup of chopped Shiitake mushrooms and 1 cup of diced water chestnuts and continue tossing until the sauce is fully absorbed.
7. Turn off the heat and add 1 cup chopped leeks (Green part only and cut into rings) and set aside to cool.

STUFFED CHICKEN:
1. Pre-heat the oven for 350'F.
2. Sew the neck shut so the stuffing would not come out from that end.
3. Add very thin slices of garlic in between the skin and thighs, legs and wings.
4. Spoon in the stuffing and make sure you pack it in tight. But remember to stuff it just enough to keep the shape of the whole chicken. You may not even have to use all the stuffing.
5. Sew the bottom end shut and place the chicken on a roasting rack to allow excess oils to drip down on the roasted vegetables when cooking.
6. In a baking dish place baby potatoes (20-25 pcs) and medium carrots sliced in half (10 pcs). Drizzle some olive oil and season with salt, pepper, Rosemary and Thyme.
7. Place the baking dish under the racked chicken.
8. Roast in the oven and brush lightly with a mixture of olive oil and onion powder every 10 minutes.
9. After 20 minutes cover the breast portions with foil to stop from further browning while the wings and legs continue to cook.
10. Once the chicken has reached a golden brown, turn off the heat and remove the chicken from the oven and cover the veggies with foil to keep warm.
11. Let the chicken rest for at least 1½ - 2 hours.
12. In a pot heat 3 cups of oil until 250 degrees in temp.
13. Place the chicken and the rack on top of a wok and carefully start to ladle very slowly the near boiling oil on the chicken. Give more attention to the legs and the wings since they still have meat in them.
14. After you have used up all the oil let the chicken drip dry and rest until the skin becomes crispy.

WHITE GRAVY:
1. In a saucepan bring to a simmer the 2 tbsp of the sauce and add ½ cup all purpose cream and mix until blended.
2. Pass through a strainer to remove clumps and add 2 tsp shallots chopped finely and 1/8 cup chopped spring onions (green parts only).

To serve, place the chicken on a large plate and surround with the roasted baby potatoes and carrots. Drizzle the White Gravy on the veggies and slice the chicken from the neck down before serving and garnish with parsley
.