Braised Goose With Pears Or Apples Recipes

BRAISED GOOSE WITH PEARS

Steps:

• Turn heat to medium-high under a casserole or deep skillet, at least 12 inches across. A minute later, add goose pieces, skin side down. Cook, adjusting heat so the skin doesn't scorch and rotating pieces until skin side is browned and rendered of fat, 10 to 15 minutes. Turn, then sprinkle skin side with salt and pepper, and brown 2 or 3 minutes on the meat side. Remove goose, and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat.
• Add bacon to the skillet, if desired, and cook until brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Add onions, bay leaves and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, and seasoning with salt and pepper, until onions are soft, about 10 minutes. Add dried fruit, and cook a minute or 2 more, stirring occasionally. Add wine, and raise heat to high. Cook until wine is reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
• Return goose to skillet, and turn heat to very low. Cover, and cook (the mixture should be barely bubbling) for at least 2 hours, turning once or twice, until goose is very tender. Add vinegar, sliced fruit and a good grinding of black pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fruit is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste, and adjust seasonings Serve with crusty bread or over lightly buttered noodles.

BRAISED GOOSE WITH PEARS OR APPLES

Steps:

• Turn the heat to medium-high under a casserole or deep skillet at least 12 inches across; a minute later, add the goose pieces, skin side down. Cook, rearranging the pieces now and then so that they brown evenly, until nicely browned and rendered of fat, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and turn; brown for 2 or 3 minutes on the meat side. Remove the goose and pour off all but a tablespoon of the fat.
• If you're using it, cook the bacon in the same skillet over medium-high heat until brown and crisp all over, about 10 minutes. Add the onions, bay leaves, and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally and seasoning with salt and pepper, until the onions are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the dried fruit and cook for another minute or two, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and raise the heat to high; cook until the wine is reduced by about half, 5 minutes or so.
• Return the goose pieces to the skillet and turn the heat to very low. Cover and cook (the mixture should be bubbling, but barely) for at least 2 hours, turning only once or twice, until the goose is very tender. Add the vinegar, sliced fruit, and a good grinding of black pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

BRAISED PEARS

Steps:

• Bring the liquid and spice to a simmer and cook until the sugar dissolves.
• Add the peeled pears, steams on.
• Simmer for 15 minutes. The pears should be covered with the liquid, so use the right pot (thick bottomed pot).
• After simmering, remove from heat and cool the pears in the liquid.
• Turn into a bowl that will keep the pears covered in the sauce and refrigerate covered with saran wrap.
• Marinate for a day or two.
• Remove sauce and keep pears in the fridge covered.
• Bring sauce to a simmer and reduce by half.
• Chill sauce and pears until ready to service.
• Serve in martini glasses with good vanilla ice cream.
• Pour warm sauce over the pears.

OVEN-BRAISED PORK CHOPS WITH RED ONIONS AND PEARS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring the balsamic vinegar to a boil over high heat. Adjust the heat to a gentle boil, and boil until the vinegar is syrupy and reduced to about 1/3 cup. Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 425° F. Heat the oil in a large, heavy skillet with a flame proof handle over medium-high heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the flat side of a knife and scatter them over the oil. Cook, shaking the skillet, until brown, about 2 minutes. Lay the pork chops in and cook until the underside is browned, about 6 minutes. Remove and reserve the garlic cloves if they become more than deep golden brown before the chops are fully browned.
• Turn the chops, tuck the onion wedges into the pan, and continue cooking until the second sides of the chops are browned, about 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. About halfway through browning the second side, tuck the pear wedges in between the chops.
• Stir the red-wine vinegar and honey together in a small bowl, until the honey is dissolved. Pour the vinegar-honey mixture into the skillet and bring to a vigorous boil. Return the garlic cloves to the skillet if you have removed them. Place the skillet in the oven and roast until the onions and pears are tender and the juices from the pork are a rich, syrupy dark brown, about 30 minutes. Once or twice during roasting, turn the chops and redistribute the onions and pears. Handle the skillet carefully-it will be extremely hot.
• Remove the skillet from the oven. Place a chop in the center of each warmed serving plate. Check the seasoning of the onion-pear mixture, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Spoon the pears, onion, and pan juices around the chops. Drizzle the balsamic-vinegar reduction around the edge of the plate.