ingredients
serves 8
10 - 12 pound goose, with giblets (thawed overnight, if frozen)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
for the apple and nut stuffing
2 cups prunes
2/3 cup port or red wine
1 1/2 pound tart apples, peeled, cored and cubed
1 large onion, chopped
4 celery sticks, sliced
1 tbsp mixed dried herbs
finely grated rind of 1 orange
goose liver, chopped
1 pound pork sausagemeat
1 cup chopped pecans
2 eggs
for the caramelized apples
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp redcurrant jelly
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
8 small dessert apples, peeled and cored
for the gravy
2 tbsp All purpose flour
2 1/2 cups giblet stock
juice of 1 orange
method
1. The day before you want to cook the goose, soak the prunes in the port or the red wine. After the soaking time, remove each prune from the marinade and stone each one and cut it into four pieces. Reserve the port or red wine and set aside.
2. The next day, mix the prunes with all the remaining stuffing ingredients and season well. Moisten with half the reserved port.
3. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Stuff the neck-end of the goose, tucking the flap of the skin under and securing it with a small skewer. Remove the excess fat from the cavity and pack it with the stuffing. Tie the legs together to hold them in place.
4. Weigh the stuffed goose to calculate the cooking time: allow 15 minutes for each 1 pound. Put the bird on a rack in a roasting tin and rub the tin with salt. Prick the skin all over to help the fat run out. Roast for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180°C/350°F and roast for the remaining cooking time. Pour off any fat produced during cooking into a bowl. The goose is cooked if the juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced with a skewer. Pour a little cold water over the breast to crisp the skin.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the apples. Melt the butter, redcurrant jelly and vinegar in a small roasting tin or a shallow ovenproof dish. Put in the apples, baste them well and cook in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes. Baste the apples halfway through the cooking time. Do not cover them or they will collapse.
6. Lift the goose onto the serving dish and let it stand for 15 minutes before carving. Pour off the excess fat from the roasting tin, leaving any sediment in the bottom. Stir in the flour, cook gently until brown, and then blend in the stock. Bring to the boil, add the remaining reserved port, orange juice and seasoning. Simmer for 2 - 3 minutes. Strain into a gravy boat. Surround the goose with the caramelized apples and spoon over the redcurrant glaze.
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