Have you ever heard of a One-Nut Rooster? Neither had we. But it's on the menu now at Stage Left, so let me tell you the back story.
Trigger Warning:
This is a story about chickens. It contains sex and violence. It is also quite long. Do not operate machinery while trying to read this story.
Perhaps the most prestigious (and expensive) type of fowl in the world is the Poulet Rouge Fermier. Originally from France, these birds are raised in the Label Rouge program to ensure that great genetics and great treatment result in the very best possible chicken for the kitchen. Now, some of these birds are being raised by Label Rouge standards on small farms in The Carolinas. They have quickly become the most prized (and most expensive) chickens on the U.S. market. They are, without a doubt, extraordinary.
I must report to you that in traditional farming, there exists a great deal of gender discrimination, particularly among fowl. You see, in birds too, testosterone results in cocky behavior and a lot of...well...strutting around like a rooster. Ruling the roost, you see, is tough business; and it takes a toll on a bird. The chicken in the supermarket is all from hens. They're kind of mellow and they're harvested fairly young, while the meat is still tasty and tender. A rooster is in a different category. You only need one of them to um...take care of a lot of hens. And they can get the job done well into middle-age, so there's no reason to change out roosters all the time, and he has a steady stream of young chicks to keep him happy. That is until his time has come.
By this time, the meat of a rooster is going to be quite tough. That beautiful white meat breast we all love is not exactly the same and the dark meat is downright chewy. This is why we must cook a rooster differently. The famous Coq-au-vin is a long slow cooking in wine. If you've ever tried to make it with chicken, it can be a "so-what" sort of a dish. It's designed for rooster. The long cooking breaks down the rooster meat and the tough old bird adds flavor to the wine and vegetables.
What is a capon?
Now the only way a Rooster is going to wind up making tender meat is if the bird is de-sexed when a chick, thereby creating a capon. De-sexing a young rooster means that it develops entirely differently. Capons' muscles grow large. They have a good amount of fat, but still remain lean. Capons are quite passive. In any given situation, a rooster will be quite aggressive, picking fights with anyone, even a capon. But even when faced with the most provocative behavior, those capons go rolling along. Capons are harvested younger, around the same time as hens and they are maybe the most delicious expression of the chicken.
What's a one-nut rooster?
Well those American farmers down in The Carolinas who are doing this wonderful work, raising birds according to Label Rouge guidelines have decided to expand into capon production. Well their first attempt was not a complete success. You see a few weeks in, they realized that the workers had not been trained correctly and they only partially de-sexed the roosters. And so we have, ladies and gentlemen, the only one-nut roosters ever produced.
The farms didn't know quite what do to with them or how they would turn out. So they harvested them last week. We tried one. They're delicious. They're one-of-a-kind and they will probably never happen again. They have a touch of gamy rooster flavor, but the meat is tender, yet firm. They have a lovely rustic flavor profile and we have come up with a dish to match.
So, starting tonight and as long we can keep getting them, we're offering a special of "One-Nut Rooster" in Stage Left.
One Nut Rooster
Seared Breast with Roasted Parsnips, Carrots and a Foie Gras and Pecan Rooster Jus
Rooster Leg and Thigh Confit with Fall Vegetables and One Candied Pecan
$36
Make a reservation here or by calling 732-828-4444.