Recipes
MICHAELMAS GOOSE WITH TRADITIONAL POTATO AND APPLE STUFFING
Chef Darina Allen of Ballymaloe Cooking School - County Cork, Ireland
Adapted by StarChefs
Yield: 8-10 Servings
Goose
- 1 goose, 10 pounds approximately
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Giblets-neck, heart and gizzard
- 1 small onion
- 1 carrot
- Bouquet garni consisting of 1 sprig thyme, 3 or 4 parsley stalks,
a small piece of celery, 6 or 7 peppercorns
- Cold water to cover
Stuffing
- 2 pounds potatoes
- 4 Tablespoons butter
- 1 pound onions, chopped
- 1 pound cooking apples, peeled and chopped
- 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 Tablespoon chopped lemon balm
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
Gravy
- 2-1/2 cups goose stock made from the giblets roux
Method:
For the Stuffing:
Boil the potatoes 'in their jackets' in boiling salted water until cooked.
Peel and mash.
Melt the butter and sweat the onions in a covered saucepan on a gentle
heat for about 5 minutes. Add the apples and cook until they break down
into a fluff, then stir in the mashed potatoes and herbs. Season the stuffing
with salt and pepper to taste. Allow it to get quite cold before stuffing
the goose.
For the Goose:
Remove the wishbone for ease of carving. Put the wishbone into a saucepan
with the giblets, onion, carrot, bouquet garni and peppercorns. Cover
with cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for about 2 hours. (Add the
wing tips to the stock if desired.)
Season the cavity of the goose with salt and freshly ground pepper and
fill with the cold stuffing. Sprinkle some sea salt over the breast and
rub it into the goose skin. Roast for 2 to 2 ½ hours in a preheated
moderate oven, 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Take the roasting pan from the oven three or four times during the cooking
and pour off the excess fat. (Store this fat in your refrigerator-it keeps
for months and is wonderful for roasting or sautéeing potatoes.)
To test whether the goose is cooked, prick the thigh at the thickest part.
The juices which run out should be clear; if they are pink the goose needs
a little longer. When cooked, remove the goose to a large serving dish
and put it into a low oven while you make the gravy.
For the gravy:
Pour or spoon off the remainder of the fat and save. Add about 2 cups
of the strained giblet stock to the roasting pan and bring to a boil.
Using a small whisk, scrape the pan well to dissolve the meaty deposits
which are full of flavor.
Taste for seasoning and thicken with a little roux if you like thickened
gravy. If the gravy is weak, boil for a few minutes to concentrate the
flavor; if too strong add a little water or stock. Strain and serve in
a hot gravy boat.
Carve the goose. Serve with apple sauce (see recipe below) and the gravy.
Apple Sauce
Yield: 4 Servings
- 1 pound cooking apples
- 1 Tablespoon water
- Approximately 1/4 cup sugar (depending on tartness of apples)
Method:
Peel, quarter and core the apples, cut the pieces into two an put
in a stainless steel or cast iron saucepan, with sugar and water. Cover
and put over a low heat. As soon as the apples have broken down, stir
and taste for sweetness. Serve warm. |