Roasted Goose With Brandied Prune Stuffing And Red Wine Gravy Food

ROAST GOOSE AND STUFFING

Steps:

• Make sure you have a good-sized roasting tin to fit the goose and a grid to place under it. Preheat the oven 425 degrees F. You can make the stuffing in advance.
• Soak the prunes in hot tea (Earl Grey) until soft, stone them and drain, or get pre-stoned ones - easier. Place prunes, vermouth and stock in a saucepan, bring to the boil, then simmer for ten minutes until tender. Strain but reserve the liquid.
• Melt the butter in a little pan and gently fry the shallots and liver for a couple of minutes, stirring all the while. Place in a mixing-bowl which will hold all the ingredients. Boil the port in the same pan until reduced to two tablespoons, scrape round the sides and add to the liver mixture. Beat the pate, bread crumbs, allspice and thyme together and combine thoroughly with the rest. Season with salt and a good quantity of the pepper. Stir in the prunes.
• Put the goose in the sink and pour a kettle of boiling water over it. This ensures a good, crisp skin. Remove and dry with kitchen towels. Salt the cavity and fill loosely with the stuffing, then sew up the vent. Prick the skin all over but not the flesh. Place on the grid in the roasting pan and roast breastside up for 15 minutes.
• Lower heat to 350 degrees F, turn the goose onto its side. Halfway through, turn onto the other side, then for the last 15 minutes onto its back again. Throughout the cooking, baste every 20 minutes with three tablespoons of boiling water and remove the fat from the pan into a bowl. The easiest way to perform both these operations is with a bulb baster. The whole cooking time should be 2 1/2 hours. Test by piercing the thickest part of the thigh: the juices should run pale yellow.
• When ready, the goose should be put on a very hot dish. Pour off the remaining fat from the roasting pan and make the gravy from the reserved prune liquid, adding it to the residual juices in the pan. Bring to the boil and simmer for a few minutes, adjust the seasoning, strain into a sauce boat and hand round separately.

ROAST GOOSE WITH CHESTNUTS, PRUNES AND ARMAGNAC

Steps:

• Combine prunes, stock, 1 1/2 cups wine and 1 cup prune juice in heavy medium saucepan. Simmer 10 minutes. Remove mixture from heat. Transfer 12 prunes to small bowl, using slotted spoon.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Pat goose dry. Pull out fat from cavity. Rub inside and out with cut side of orange. Combine salt and pepper and rub inside and outside goose. Place orange, onion, bay leaves and 12 drained prunes in goose cavity. Tie legs together. Place goose on rack in roasting pan. Pierce all over with small metal skewer or toothpick.
• Roast goose 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350°F and roast 30 minutes longer. Remove fat from roasting pan. Combine remaining 1/4 cup wine and 1/4 cup prune juice and brush some over goose. Continue roasting goose until juices run clear when pierced in thickest part of thigh, basting goose with wine mixture and removing fat from pan occasionally, about 2 hours.
• Transfer goose to platter and tent with foil. Let stand 20 minutes.
• Strain prune poaching liquid, reserving prunes. Degrease roasting juices. Add 1/2 cup poaching liquid to roasting pan and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Transfer to heavy medium saucepan. Add Armagnac, remaining poaching liquid and degreased roasting juices. Boil until flavors are intense, about 15 minutes. Knead butter and flour together. Whisk into sauce in small bits and simmer until thick, about 8 minutes. Add poached prunes and chestnuts and heat through. Sprinkle with parsley.
• Carve goose into thin slices. Spoon sauce, chestnuts and prunes over.

ROASTED WILD GOOSE OR DUCK

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Rinse and pat goose dry. Place cold butter in a large bowl and add cranberries, raisins, orange, onion, apple, sage, tarragon, basil, garlic, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Mix well using your hands until you have a large ball of butter and fruit.
• Stuff the ball of butter into the body cavity of the goose. Close cavity and tie drumsticks together with kitchen twine. Sew cavity shut to protect flavor and moisture, if desired.
• Place 2 large layers of foil on a work surface. Make a bed of bacon slices in the center of the foil by placing 4 or 5 slices side by side. Lay goose on top, breast-side up. Cover breast and legs with remaining bacon. Bring foil up and fold, sealing in the bird, leaving small space around the bird for air circulation. Place foil-covered bird into a roasting pan.
• Roast in the preheated oven until no longer pink in the center, 3 to 4 hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the largest part of the thigh should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
• Remove from the oven, leave the bird breast-side down, and let rest for 15 minutes. Turn the bird breast-side up and let rest for 10 minutes. Open foil pouch very carefully, as there will be a lot of steam. Remove and discard all stuffing and transfer bird to a serving platter. Slice, carve, and serve, or serve whole and carve at the table.