Roast Goose With Dried Apple Stuffing

Number of servings : 10 servings

Prep time: 1 hour

Cooking time: 3 hours 15 minutes

Type of meal : | Main Courses | Main Courses

Special diet :

Ingredients

Stuffing:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter or margarine

2 cups chopped onions

1 cup chopped celery

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon each dried marjoram, sage, and thyme

8 ounces dried apples

12 slices (6 cups) toasted white or whole-wheat bread, cubed

1/2 cup minced parsley

1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

1/2 cup chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth

Goose:

1 goose with giblets (10 to 12 pounds)

1/2 teaspoon each salt and black pepper

1 large yellow onion, quartered

2 stalks celery, quartered

1 carrot, scrubbed and quartered

4 cloves garlic, peeled

Gravy:

4 cups chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

12 sprigs parsley

1 teaspoon each dried marjoram, sage, and thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 each whole cloves, juniper berries, and black peppercorns (optional)

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 cup Madeira, port, or water

Directions

Step 1:

To prepare the stuffing: Soak dried apples in a bowl of warm water until softened. Then drain and chop. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, garlic, marjoram, sage, and thyme and sauté 5 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to a large bowl, and toss with the remaining stuffing ingredients.

Step 2:

To prepare the goose: Preheat oven to 425°F. Wash the goose and pat it dry, reserving the giblets and discarding the fat and liver. Loosely stuff the body and neck cavities and prick the skin on the lower breast, legs, and around the wings with a skewer. Truss, then sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Transfer the rest of the stuffing to a buttered au gratin dish, cover tightly with foil, and refrigerate.

Step 3:

Place the goose, breast-side-up, on a rack in a large shallow roasting pan, insert a roasting thermometer in its thigh, and surround with the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and the reserved giblets. Roast the goose, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 325°F and pour 1 cup of boiling water over goose. Continue to roast, basting with the pan juices and skimming off the fat, for 2 to 2-1/2 hours or more, until a thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 180°F. Bake the extra stuffing, covered, during the last 30 minutes. Let the goose stand 15 minutes, then carve it and discard the skin.

Step 4:

Meanwhile, prepare the gravy: After the vegetables and giblets have cooked with the goose for 1 hour and are well browned, transfer them to a medium saucepan. Add the stock, tomato paste, parsley, marjoram, sage, thyme, and salt, plus the cloves, juniper berries, and peppercorns if you wish; bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, 1 hour, skimming occasionally, then strain.

Step 5:

In a cup, whisk together the cornstarch and Madeira until smooth; whisk into the gravy. Return to a boil and cook for 3 minutes, whisking, until the gravy thickens slightly. Serve with the goose and your favorite accompaniments.

Nutritional information:

• Type of Meal Main Courses

Type of Meal Main Courses