Cook my goose

[Patf]

We have a goose to cook for the weekend . Is it best to roast it with

stuffing like chicken? Or any other ideas which is the best way to cook

it? Haven't weighed it yet but will probably be abot 5lbs dressed

weight, and not all that young. Pat.

[vervialle]

I always roast my goose on a rack and save the fat for the roast potatoes,I always make the stuffing with fruit such as prunes (they are best) but if you cannot get them apricots or plumbs, I soak them in cognac the night before and then mix with fresh breadcrumbs onnion,only a little and sage or thyme.Goose is rich and dark and fruit goes lovely with it.Now because your goose is so small you will have little meat, a goose has a big frame so you have to have a decent sized one to get plenty of meat, as it is old I suggest you cook it slowly in water on a low oven for about six hours this will help to make it tender, you will then notice there is lots of fat floating on the top scoop it all off with a large spoon you might get nearly a pint and use this for your roast potatoes and save the rest for anther day, it keeps for months.when you have scooped the fat off lift the goose out of the rest of the stock and roast it on high for half an hour this will crisp it up and give it a nice colour do it a little longer if you think it needs it cook your stuffing seperate, I always put it inside the goose but I always have a young goose and just roast it.Roast some chestnuts with your potatoes they are cheap in france in tins or Jars.Make the gravy out of the stock that you cooked the goose in and add a little red wine.Incidently I cook duck legs in the U.K like this because they are cheap and they taste almost as good as confit de canard, just cooked very slowly until the meat nearly falls off then crisped up on a rack on a high oven.Well I hope it goes O.K. P.S cut the goose in half longways if you have not got a big enough casserole dish and do it in a roasying tin in the water covered in silver paper. Goose is my very favourite so I will think of you.Bon Appetit!!!!!

[hastobe]

That sounds lovely vervialle - sitting here with my mouth watering....

I don't think it sounds anywhere near as good as vervialle's goose but

I usually roast larger poultry upside down, over a pan of water with

the whole thing enclosed in a tent of foil - so the juices run back

into the breast meat.  I give it a blast on a fairly high heat

first (to kill any bugs) then cook it on a very, very low

setting.  For a larger christmas / goose I leave it in

for 12 hours or more (overnight).  The meat is so moist and tender

it falls off the bone - but as vervaille says 5lb is quite small - and

the prunes and cognac sound so much nicer....mmmmm.  Can I come

for tea next time you have goose vervaille?

Hastobe

NB goose fat is the best for roast potatoes..mmmmmm

[TWINKLE]

Stop it - now!  All of you.  I'm on a diet - again!!

I always add a head of garlic seperated and in their skins about an hour before cooking ends with all my roasts.  Blinking fabulous.  You're breath stinks for a week but hey...!  When in France[;-)]

Actually garlic breath is compulsory 'round here[:D]

[hastobe]

But like red wine - its purely medicinal [;-)].. methinks that the French have such good habits [:)]

Hastobe

[Tresco]

Pat, there is something that these excellent people haven't mentioned.

Geese are quite magical creatures. They are almost 'Tardis' like, in that they contain - and then release - more liquid fat when cooked than any other beast.

 

[TWINKLE]

The poor things.  They need huge bellys to accomodate their swollen livers. 

That's probably what will happen to me[:-))]

[TWINKLE]

Maybe I should be posting this on Why I Like It Here [:-))]

[vervialle]

Forgot to mention , if you get the liver with it cook it with a few chickenlivers in 4oz of butter and 1 clove of garlic a finely chopped onnion and a pich of mixed herbs 1/2 1lb of Livers all together,when it is cooked do not overcook ,they must not go hard,put it in a processor blend to a smoothe paste, pour it into a smallish luch box and let it set. in the fridge.  It will taste nearly as good as Fois gras not quite but a poor mans version.I a save my chicken livers when I get a free range chicken, just pop them in the freezer until I get 1/2 lb and then its like getting free pate (all in the mind) I add a little fresh milled black pepper to mine but you dont have to.

[Patf]

So many suggestions - yes fruit for the stuffing is what I will do as

we can get prunes, apricots etc. I think I made a wrong guess about the

weight as it's still hanging with the innards inside, but it may be

more like 5 kg  - big difference. I thought of boiling as you do

with old hens but haven't got a big enough pan. Thanks to all.