Capon With Chinese Mandarins

Preparation:

Preparation: Christmas recipe. Flame and wash the capon, dry it carefully, salt it also inside and insert 3 kumquats pierced with a fork into the abdomen; then arrange it in a casserole that contains it in measure and that can go in the oven. Turn on the oven at 200 degrees. Scrape and wash the carrots, cut them into chunks together with the celery cleaned and stripped of the filaments; arrange the vegetables around the capon, sprinkle everything with 2 tablespoons of oil, add the sage and cook in the oven for about 40 minutes. Blanch the remaining kumquats in boiling water, drain them and repeat the operation 2 more times to soften the rind; cut 8 of them in half and leave the others whole. Melt the butter in a pan and, when it is bubbly, add all the kumquats; cook them for 4-5 minutes and sprinkle them with sugar. Cook over high heat until the sugar starts to caramelize, pour in the cognac, flame and switch off. Add the kumquats to the vegetables surrounding the capon, pour over the caramel sauce and continue cooking for another 40 minutes. Serve hot.