This 50-ingredient holiday recipe is like singing that well-known and quite long “THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS” carolling song, once you begin, you simply have to go on until it’s all sung and you’ve reached the end … It’s never easy convincing anybody (and this includes friends & family) about preparing a 50-ingredient recipe, even when it’s a holiday recipe that is prepared once (and only once) per year ! 

Where’s your holiday spirit ? Very probably dragging behind your winter work schedule & ensuing holiday preparation fatigue & stress. Hang in there. That glittering “finishing line” is in sight.

The 1^st main ingredient here is the “CAPON”. For those of you who may not know what that is, it’s a young castrated rooster that is no longer interested in pursuing the more docile hens and that eventually fattens up, thus growing larger than a chicken, but smaller than a turkey, ideal for a smaller family meal for 6-8 people, quite juicy and tasty and usually only available during the holidays for special festive meals. 

The 49 following ingredients in the different lists include all of the 15 ingredients for the liquid basting and dry basting, the 25 ingredients for the stuffing, and the 10 ingredients for the accompanying vegetables. By the way, all these lists of ingredients take into account everything and include the salt, peppercorn varieties, other dry spices, fresh herbs as well as the cooking fats.

It seems daunting but it isn’t any more complicated than roasting a large chicken or small turkey and creating an additional aromatic rice dish and a vegetable side dish as accompaniments. In this case, it’s all regrouped, assembled and baked together.

If you’re still hesitant, here’s some inspiration and the lyrics of “THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS” which is a cumulative and repetitive song with the list getting longer and longer with each verse … I think it applies well to this fancy recipe and if you can sing it all the way to the end, then you’re ready to prepare this recipe at home !

On the first day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me, 
A partridge in a pear tree. 

On the second day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me, 
Two turtle doves,

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the third day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the fourth day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me,
Four calling birds, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the fifth day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me,
Five gold rings, 
Four calling birds, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the sixth day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me, 
Six geese a-laying, 
Five gold rings, 
Four calling birds, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the seventh day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me, 
Seven swans a-swimming, 
Six geese a-laying, 
Five gold rings, 
Four calling birds, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves,  

And a partridge in a pear tree. 

On the eighth day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me, 
Eight maids a-milking, 
Seven swans a-swimming, 
Six geese a-laying, 
Five gold rings, 
Four calling birds, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me, 
Nine ladies dancing, 
Eight maids a-milking, 
Seven swans a-swimming, 
Six geese a-laying, 
Five gold rings, 
Four calling birds, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me, 
Ten lords a-leaping, 
Nine ladies dancing, 
Eight maids a-milking, 
Seven swans a-swimming, 
Six geese a-laying, 
Five gold rings, 
Four calling birds, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas,
My true love sent to me, 
Eleven pipers piping, 
Ten lords a-leaping, 
Nine ladies dancing, 
Eight maids a-milking, 
Seven swans a-swimming, 
Six geese a-laying, 
Five gold rings, 
Four calling birds, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, 
My true love sent to me, 
Twelve drummers drumming, 
Eleven pipers piping, 
Ten lords a-leaping, 
Nine ladies dancing, 
Eight maids a-milking, 
Seven swans a-swimming, 
Six geese a-laying, 
Five gold rings, 
Four calling birds, 
Three French hens, 
Two turtle doves, 

And a partridge in a pear tree.

There you go, it’s all done !

HAPPY HOLIDAYS to all & good luck . . . °<:)