Swedish Roast Chicken With Spiced Apple Rice

Ingredients

• 2  peppercorns black
• 2  ground cardamom 
• 1  chicken free-range
• 0.5 cup wine dry white
• 1 tablespoon mint leaves fresh finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon thyme sprigs fresh
• 1  garlic clove chopped
• 2  apples i use 2 granny smith apples cored peeled cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 4 servings pepper fresh black
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 large onion cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 5.5 tablespoons yogurt plain
• 2  shallots coarsely chopped
• 2  star anise 
• 1 medium sweet potatoes and into peeled cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 0.5 cup water 
• 1 cup water 
• 2 tablespoons water 
• 4  peppercorns cracked white
• 1 cup rice long grain raw white

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• paper towels
• sauce pan
• oven
• roasting pan
• kitchen thermometer
• aluminum foil
• stove
• mortar and pestle
• measuring cup
• cutting board
• kitchen twine

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F.Blanch the sweet potato in boiling water for two minutes, then drain, rinse in cold water and drain again.In a medium bowl, combine sweet potato, onion, apples, shallots, garlic, thyme and mint.
2. Combine the 2 tablespoons of water and the olive oil and add to the vegetable mixture, tossing to coat.With a mortar and pestle (or with the back of a heavy skillet against a cutting board) lightly crush the cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, cloves, black and white peppercorns (you can use all black if that's what you have) with the teaspoon of kosher salt.
3. Add half the spice mixture to the vegetables and reserve the rest.Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry with paper towels.
4. Remove all the excess fat.Lightly stuff the bird's cavity with about half the vegetable mixture and tie the bird's legs together with kitchen string.
5. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan and rub it all over with the reserved spice mixture.Scatter the remaining vegetable mixture around the chicken.Roast for about one hour.
6. Remove the vegetables that are loose in the pan and set aside in a bowl.Continue roasting for another 30 minutes or until your meat thermometer, inserted in the thigh, reaches 160F.During this time, if the pan becomes too dry, add water a few tablespoons at a time.
7. Transfer chicken to a board, remove stuffing and add it to the other vegetables, and cover the chicken loosely with foil.Keep the vegetables warm.
8. Place the roasting pan over heat on the stove top and add the water and stock or white wine.Bring liquid to a boil, stirring and scraping to deglaze the pan.
9. Pour the liquid into a measuring cup, degreasing as best you can.
10. Pour about 1/2 of a cup of the liquid into a sauceboat and keep warm.
11. Add, if necessary, water to the remaining de-glazing liquid so that you have one cup.
12. Combine the rice, one cup of water, one cup of deglazing liquid and the salt in a medium saucepan.Bring to a boil over high heat.As soon as the rice boils, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook the rice till done, about 18 minutes.
13. Remove from heat and fold rice together with 1 and 1/2 tablespoons of the yogurt and the reserved vegetables.Season to taste with salt and pepper.
14. Combine the remaining yogurt with the pan juices in the sauce boat.Carve the chicken and serve with rice, passing the sauceboat for those who need a little extra liquid.