Roast Goose With Mlinzi Recipes

ROAST GOOSE

Steps:

• Place the honey, vinegar, and water in a pot large enough to hold the goose, submerged. Bring the liquid to the boil and add the raw goose to the pot. Return to the boil, reduce the heat and cook the goose at a strong simmer for 20 minutes to render some of the grease as well as begin to tenderize the normally chewy bird. Remove the goose from the liquid and allow to cool at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prick the goose skin all around the carcass. Season the cavity with half of the salt and pepper, add the herbs, onion and garlic. Truss the legs and season the outside of the goose with the remaining salt and pepper and the olive oil.
• Preheat a heavy roasting pan for 10 minutes. Place the goose, breast side down, on a rack in the roasting pan and roast in the oven, skimming the fat and reserving it for another use, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Turn the goose breast side up and roast, basting it with pan juices and skimming the fat, for 1 hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours more, or until the juices run clear when the fleshy part of the thigh is pricked with a fork and a meat thermometer inserted in the fleshy part of the thigh registers 165 degrees.
• Transfer the goose to a platter, remove the trussing string, and keep the goose warm, covered loosely with foil. Skim off all but 1/4 cup of fat from the pan juices, add the flour, and cook the roux over moderately low heat, stirring, until it has browned slightly. Add the stock in a stream, whisking, and simmer the mixture, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and strain the gravy into a heated sauceboat.

ROAST GOOSE WITH MLINZI

Steps:

• Roll and bake mlinzi, page 20, a day or two in advance, and store in a dry place to keep them crisp.
• The night before roasting, open up the goose, remove the giblets and neck if packed inside, and remove the lumps of fat from the main and neck cavities (save the fat for rendering, or discard). Rinse the bird thoroughly in cool running water, washing any residue from the cavity. Rinse the giblets as well, and pat everything dry with paper towels. Rub salt all over the goose, and sprinkle some in the cavity, using about 2 tablespoons in all. Set the goose on the wire rack in the roasting pan, breast up, and put it uncovered in the refrigerator to dry overnight. Wrap and refrigerate the neck and giblets.
• The next day, remove the goose from the refrigerator an hour or two before roasting and let it come to room temperature. Arrange a rack in the lower part of the oven, and heat to 425˚.
• Put the bay leaves and rosemary branches in the cavity of the bird. With the breast up, twist and fold the long wing tips under the wing joints, so they're wedged tightly against the back. Bring the legs together, crossing the ends of the drumsticks, and wrap with kitchen twine. Loop the twine under the goose tail and tighten to close the cavity, then knot securely. Drizzle the olive oil over the breast and sides of the bird. Prick the skin of the goose all over with the point of a trussing needle or skewer, to speed draining of fat.
• Roast the goose for 30 minutes to melt and drain body fat, then remove the pan carefully and lower the oven to 350˚. Lift out the wire rack with the goose, and set it on a carving platter or baking sheet. Pour the hot fat from the roasting pan into a large can or milk carton (you'll collect nearly a quart of fat by the end of roasting).
• Put the rack with the bird back in the pan, and spread the vegetable chunks and chopped porcini around it. Nestle the goose neck and giblets, including the liver, in with the chunks, scatter in the juniper berries, and sprinkle another tablespoon salt over the vegetables. Pour 3 cups of the broth into the side of the pan, partly submerging the vegetables and giblets. Cover the goose with a tent of heavy aluminum foil, arched so it doesn't touch the skin, and crimp the foil tight against the sides of the roasting pan. Return the pan to the oven.
• Roast the covered bird for an hour, then remove the foil tent. If the vegetables are still only partly submerged in liquid, continue roasting uncovered. If more accumulated fat has completely covered the vegetables, carefully pull out the oven rack and spoon off as much fat as you can, removing it to a fat separator, if you have one, or a heat-proof cup. Return the goose to the oven, and continue to roast uncovered. (When the liquid you just removed has settled, discard the fat and pour the recovered broth back into the roasting pan.) After another hour, when the breast is nicely caramelized, dark, and crisp, check for doneness with a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh (without touching a bone). When it reads 170˚ or above, you can safely take the goose from the oven (it will continue to cook as it rests). If the goose needs more roasting and the breast is already quite dark, cover it loosely with foil. If the opposite is true-that the meat is done but the breast is not caramelized-turn up the heat to darken it quickly.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt to a boil for the pasta.
• When the goose is perfectly roasted, remove it, still on the rack, to the carving platter. Cover it loosely with the foil tent, and keep in a warm spot.
• To make the sauce, transfer the neck and giblets (but not the liver) from the roasting pan to a medium saucepan. Hold back the vegetable chunks and goose liver in the roasting pan as you empty all the liquid through a sieve set over a large measuring container or bowl (a 1-quart fat separator is ideal). Put the liver and vegetables (including any caught in the sieve) in a potato masher, and crush them directly into the saucepan.
• When the strained roasting-liquid fat has separated, discard the fat, and pour the juices into the saucepan. Add enough fresh hot broth to make a total of at least 6 cups of liquid. Use some of the additional broth to deglaze any caramelization left in the roasting pan, and add that to the saucepan, as well as the juices the resting goose will release.
• Bring the sauce liquid to a boil and cook, partly covered, for 20 minutes or so, to extract flavor and concentrate the broth. When reduced to about 5 cups and slightly thickened, turn off the heat. Taste, and season with more salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Pour 3 cups of the sauce into a big skillet to dress the mlinzi, and keep the rest to pass later at the table.
• Meanwhile, for the mlinzi: Break all the baked pasta sheets into irregular shards, 2 to 3 inches wide, and pile them in a large bowl or tray. (If you have youngsters around, they will be happy to assist with the snapping and cracking.)
• When the goose has rested at least 20 minutes and the sauce is almost ready, drop the mlinzi into the pot of boiling water. Stir well, cover, and cook about 3 minutes, until soft and floppy but still al dente. Lift the mlinzi out with a spider, drain, and spill on top of the sauce in the big skillet. Toss and tumble the pasta for a couple of minutes over medium heat, until cooked through and saturated with sauce. Turn off the heat, drizzle the 1/4 cup olive oil over all, scatter on the grated cheese, then toss. Keep warm while you carve the goose.
• Carve the goose at the table (or, if you have a good carver among your guests, call on him or her). Goose joints are tricky to find, lower down than on other birds, and notoriously tight, but just pry the limbs open. Otherwise, carve as you would a chicken. Serve with the dressed mlinzi, steaming hot, and pass the extra sauce around.

CLASSIC ROAST GOOSE WITH CIDER GRAVY

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Remove all the fat from inside the bird and use a skewer to prick the skin all over, especially under the wings. Season the inside and stuff the goose with the onions and herbs. Rub the breast and legs with the oil; season generously with salt. Sit the bird, the right way up, in a large roasting tin. Cover with a large piece of foil, scrunching it up at the sides so it's a tight fit. Place the goose in the oven (leaving a shelf above free for the Roasted roots, see page 62) for 1 hr 30 mins.
• Take the goose out of the oven, then remove the foil, carefully ladle all the fat out of the tin (or use a baster to suck it out) into a bowl, then lightly baste the goose. Re-cover with foil, then roast for another 1 hr 30 mins. Pour all the fat from the tin again, baste, then return to the oven without any foil to brown for a final 30-40 mins until golden brown. Don't worry about whether it's done - the goose will be cooked all the way through. Transfer the goose to a large board or platter to rest in a warmish place for 30 mins. Keep the tin to finish the gravy in.
• To make the gravy, while the goose is roasting, heat the oil in a sauté pan until very hot, add the pieces of goose neck, then fry until browned and caramelised. Add the veg to the pan, then fry for about 10 mins until brown and just starting to burn slightly. Throw in the herbs, then pour over the cider and boil down by about two-thirds, skimming off any froth that comes to the top. Pour in the chicken stock, reduce by half, then strain into a large jug and set aside. The stock can be made the day before.
• Once the goose has come out of the tin, pour all but about 2 tbsp of fat from it, keeping in any brown juices. Place the tin on the heat, scatter in the flour and stir to make a brown paste the texture of wet sand. Slowly pour in the cider stock and stir to make a smooth gravy. Season to taste, then strain again into a gravy jug.
• Serve the goose on a platter with the herby onions from the cavity scattered around.

ROAST GOOSE

Steps:

• If goose is frozen, place it in the refrigerator overnight to thaw. Remove goose from the refrigerator, and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse goose inside and out with cold running water, and pat it dry with paper towels. Trim as much of the excess fat as possible from the opening of the cavity. Remove the first and second joints of the wings, and set them aside for use in making the stock.
• With the point of a sharp knife, prick the entire surface of the goose skin, being careful not to cut into the flesh. Fold the neck flap under the body of the goose, and pin the flap down with a wooden toothpick. Generously sprinkle the cavity with salt and pepper, and insert 2 carrot halves, 2 celery-stalk halves, garlic, thyme, and sage. Using a piece of kitchen twine, tie the legs together. Generously sprinkle the outside of the goose with salt and pepper, and place it, breast-side up on a wire rack set in a large roasting pan.
• Roast goose in the oven until it turns a golden brown, about 1 hour. With a baster, remove as much fat as possible from the roasting pan every 30 minutes. Reduce the heat to 325 degrees, and roast until the goose is very well browned all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted into a breast, not touching a bone, registers 180 degrees, about 1 hour after reducing the temperature.
• Meanwhile, prepare goose stock, which will be used when making the gravy and the dressing. Trim and discard any excess fat from the wing tips, neck, and giblets, and place them in a small stockpot. Add 4 carrot halves, 4 celery-stalk halves, both onion halves, parsley, bay leaf, peppercorns, and enough water to cover the bones and vegetables by 1 inch (about 2 1/2 quarts water). Place the stockpot over high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, and simmer stock, skimming the scum as it forms, for 2 hours. Strain stock through a cheesecloth-lined strainer. Remove and discard the fat floating on the surface of the stock, and set the stockpot aside.
• Remove goose from the oven, and transfer it to a cutting board that has a well. Let the goose stand 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare the gravy. Pour off all the fat from the roasting pan, and place the pan over high heat. Pour in wine, and cook, stirring up any brown bits with a wooden spoon until the cooking liquid is reduced by three-quarters. Add 2 cups goose stock, and cook, stirring until the liquid is again reduced by three-quarters. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in butter, and cook until slightly thickened. Pass the gravy through a cheesecloth-lined strainer into a gravy boat, and serve with the goose.

GORDON'S CHRISTMAS ROAST GOOSE

Steps:

• Calculate the cooking time: cook for 10 mins at 240C/fan 220C/gas 9, then reduce to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5 and cook for 20 mins per kg for medium-rare, 32 mins per kg for more well done, plus 30 mins resting.
• If the goose is ready-trussed, then loosen the string and pull out the legs and wings a little - this helps the bird cook better.
• Check the inside of the bird and remove any giblets or pads of fat. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score the breast and leg skin in a criss-cross. This helps the fat to render down more quickly during roasting.
• Grate the zest from 4 lemons and 3 limes. Mix with 2 tsp fine sea salt, 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder and pepper, to taste.
• Season the cavity of the goose generously with salt, then rub the citrus mix well into the skin and sprinkle some inside the cavity.
• Stuff the zested fruit and a small handful of parsley, thyme and sage sprigs inside the bird and set aside for at least 15 mins. Can be done up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated.
• Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9.
• If you want to give the bird a nice golden skin, brown in a large frying pan (or a heavy-based roasting tin), using a couple of tbsp olive oil. Holding the bird by the legs (you may like to use an oven glove), press it down on the breasts to brown.
• Once browned, place the bird in the roasting tin. Drizzle with 3 tbsp clear honey and sprinkle with 1 tbsp thyme leaves.
• Roast for the calculated time, turning the heat down after 10 mins to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Cover the goose with foil if it is starting to brown too much.
• Every 30 mins or so, baste the bird with the pan juices, then pour off the fat through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl. You will end up with at least a litre of luscious fat - save this for the potatoes and other veg.
• At the end of the cooking time, leave to rest for at least 30 mins, covered loosely with foil. The bird will not go cold, but will be moist and much easier to carve.