Instructions: To make the stuffing: In a medium pot, bring the wild rice, water, salt, and lemon grass to a boil, then cover, and simmer over low heat until the water is absorbed and the rice is fluffy and tender, 35 to 55 minutes. Discard the lemon grass and set the cooked rice aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until its soft, about 5 minutes. Add the celery root to the skillet and cook until the slivers have softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the leeks and cook them until tender, about 8 minutes. Add the wild rice and lemon juice and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

To make the chicken: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Rub the chicken all over with the garlic cloves, and place the garlic in the body cavity. Squeeze the juice from the lemons all over the chicken, inside and out, and place one of the lemon halves in the body cavity. Spoon the stuffing into the chicken. Close the body cavity with metal skewers. Tie the drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Sprinkle the thyme over the chicken. Wrap the bacon strips around the chicken to almost cover it completely. You may poke additional twigs of thyme in the bacon strips - it looks very pretty. Place the chicken, breast up, on a rack in a large roasting pan, preferably nonstick. Surround the chicken with the potatoes and carrots.

Roast for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Cook, occasionally stirring the vegetables, until a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh reads 180 degrees, about 90 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a large serving platter and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes.

To serve: Remove the bacon from the chicken (if it sticks, let it stay) and set it aside. Using a sharp knife, carve the chicken. Spoon the stuffing out of the cavity onto a platter. Serve the chicken with the bacon, stuffing, carrots, and potatoes.

If you wish to make gravy, set the roasting pan over a low flame and add the wine, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Whisk in a tablespoon of flour and whisk like mad over a low flame until all the flour is combined. Simmer for 1 minute.

If you would like to email yourself the recipe for later use, or share the recipe with your friends or family, enter the email addresses below and this recipe will be emailed to you and others as well.