Chapon de fête au Champagne (Celebration Capon)

Ingredients:

• 1 3 1/2 lb capon
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 1/4 cups champagne
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Season the bird all over with salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, put 1/4 cup of the butter in the pan you'll be using to cook your capon and place it in the oven until it melts. Then take it out and put the capon in the pan, turning to coat completely with the butter.
3. Increase the oven's temperature to 430 degrees. Put the capon in the oven and cook for one hour. Note: for me one hour at 430 degrees was too long. I used a meat thermometer, and turned the temperature down to 350 degrees after the meat reached a temperature of about 100.
4. Meanwhile, mix the rest of the butter with the flour. When the capon is ready, remove it from the oven and pour the juices into another pan, scraping the bottom of the original pan to get all the browned bits. Add the champagne to the juices and bring to a boil.
5. When the gravy has reduced a little, add the butter/flour mixture and stir. Reduce the heat and simmer for five minutes or until the sauce thickens (it won't be really thick).