Name: Rooster Stuffed with Bulgur, Raisins, and Leeks
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1 whole rooster; g rooster giblets, finely chopped (about 2-2.5 kg total bird); 1 clove garlic, minced; 5 leeks, finely chopped; 100 ml dry white wine; 200 g fine bulgur wheat; 3 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped; 1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped; fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (5-6 leaves); zest of 1/2 orange; ⅓ tsp ground cinnamon; 40 g black raisins; 100 ml olive oil; salt and freshly ground pepper; 1000 g baby potatoes, well washed; 2 tbsp spicy mustard; sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped (4-5 sprigs); 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; ½ tsp dried oregano; 40 ml lemon juice; 50 ml olive oil; salt and freshly ground pepper

Rooster Stuffed with Bulgur, Raisins, and Leeks

A hearty, festive dish perfect for Sunday and holiday tables, featuring a juicy rooster stuffed with a flavorful bulgur, raisin, and leek mixture, served with roasted baby potatoes.

Prep30 min

Cook3h

Total3h 30m

DifficultyHard

Servings6

This roast rooster recipe is a showstopper: stuffed with a savory-sweet bulgur filling that's packed with leeks, raisins, herbs, and rooster giblets, then roasted to golden perfection over a bed of baby potatoes. The marinade and basting keep the meat incredibly tender and flavorful.

Start the day before by marinating the rooster overnight, then stuff it with the aromatic bulgur mixture. Roasting it on a rack above the potatoes allows the juices to drip down, flavoring the potatoes as they cook. A final blast of high heat gives everything a beautiful crispness.

Method

The day before, brush the rooster with half the olive oil (from the filling list) and season generously with salt and pepper. Wrap in parchment paper, place in a baking dish that fits in the fridge, and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the rooster from the fridge and let it come to room temperature.
In a saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil from the filling over high heat and sauté the chopped giblets with the minced garlic for 2-3 minutes.
Add the chopped leeks and sauté for 6-7 minutes, until softened.
Pour in the white wine, stir for 2-3 minutes, then add the bulgur, herbs, orange zest, cinnamon, raisins, 120 ml water, and salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until the bulgur absorbs the liquid.
Stuff the rooster's cavity with the bulgur mixture and close the opening as much as possible with toothpicks.
Preheat the oven to 340°F.
In a bowl, toss the baby potatoes with all the potato garnish ingredients (mustard, thyme, garlic, oregano, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper). Spread them evenly in a baking dish.
Oil the oven rack, place the rooster on it, and set the dish with potatoes underneath to catch the drips.
Roast for about 1 ½ hours. Every 30 minutes, brush the rooster with the juices from the potato dish.
Increase the oven temperature to 400°F and roast for another 20-30 minutes, until the rooster is golden brown and the potatoes are tender and crispy.

💡 Tips

If you don't have a rooster, you can substitute a large chicken (about 2 kg).
To save time, you can skip the overnight marination, but the meat will be less flavorful.
Make sure the oven rack is well oiled to prevent the rooster from sticking.

Rooster Stuffed with Bulgur, Raisins, and Leeks

Ingredients

For the rooster and filling

For the potato garnish

Method

💡 Tips

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