---

February's chill winds, pale sunshine and thoughts of a new spring around the corner encourage a little variety. Why not ask your butcher to make you a chicken cushion with a variety of home-made stuffings, or to bone you a chicken for your own stuffing?
One we might suggest:

• 500gm (1lb) sausage meat
• 1 apple (cooking or dessert)
• 6 leaves of fresh sage
• 100gm (4oz) breadcrumbs
• 1 medium onion

Finely slice and chop the onion, apple and sage leaves. Mix all the ingredients together with the sausage meat until everything is mixed thoroughly. Put the stuffing inside the chicken and tie.
Cook the chicken for 20 minutes per ½ kilo (1 lb), plus 20 minutes at 200°C (400°F, Gas Mark 6)
Do not forget to allow for the weight of the stuffing when calculating cooking times.