Thu, 21 December 2023
INGREDIENTS:
· Stuffing:
· 1 medium onion-diced
· 4oz/110g butter
· 1 cooking apple-grated or finely chopped
· 2oz/50g cranberries
· 4oz/110g fresh white breadcrumbs
· 4oz/110g mashed potatoes
· 4 tablespoons of chopped mixed herbs –parsley, sage, thyme etc
· Seasoning-Salt and Pepper
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
· Oil
· Sea Salt
· 2 carrots-cut into wedges
· 1 large onion-cut into wedges
· Some sprigs of fresh thyme
METHOD:
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.
2. Heat the butter in a medium sized saucepan and gently fry off the diced onion and apple for 4-5 minutes until it has softened, but not coloured. At this stage add in the chopped mixed herbs and cranberries and immediately turn off the heat. Allow this mixture to cool.
3. Add this ‘buttery onion’ mixture to a large mixing bowl and add in the mashed potatoes & breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper and then allow the stuffing to cool down.
4. Using some cold damp kitchen paper, wipe out the cavity of the goose.
5. Line the cavity with baking parchment and loosely pack the stuffing into the bird.
6. Now weigh the goose again, once it has been stuffed, to get a true estimation of the cooking time.
7. Rub the goose with a little oil and then sprinkle some sea/rock salt on the skin and massage in.
8. Roast a 4kg/9lb goose for three hours, a 4.5-5kg/10-11lb goose for three-and-a-half hours and a 5.5kg/12lb goose for four hours.
9. To test it is cooked; pierce the fattest part of the thigh with a skewer. If the juices run clear then the bird is done. Rest for 20-30 minutes, before carving, whilst making your gravy.
