Roast Goose with Apple Sausage Stuffing, Cumberland Sauce and Sweet Potatoes

ROAST GOOSE
Ingredients
1 goose (4.5 kg/10 lb)
sea salt
freshly cracked pepper
5 freshly ground allspice berries apple sausage stuffing (recipe below)

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 425F / 220C / Gas Mark 7

2. Season the goose, inside and out, liberally with the sea salt, pepper and allspice.

3. Stuff the bird with your stuffing (This will add moisture and help to flavour the meat). Sew up the vent with a trussing needle and kitchen thread. Use the needle (or a fork) to pierce the skin all over which will allow the fat to render out during the roasting. Place the needle almost parallel to the skin so it is the skin, not the meat, that is pricked.

4. Pour a glass of water into the bottom of the pan to stop the released fat from burning. Place the goose breast-up on a rack in the roasting pan. Stick it in the oven. After 30 minutes turn the oven down to 350F / 180C / Gas Mark 4. Using a baster, transfer most of the fat to a bowl (the amount of fat that is rendered off during the cooking will boggle the mind).

5. Return it to the oven. Baste every 15 minutes or so with the drippings. Remove excess fat to the bowl.

6. At the 2 hour mark (very, very carefully) check the temperature in the thigh and breast. USDA recommends cooking whole duck or goose to a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F as measured using a food thermometer. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast.

N.B. - Goose fat gets ridiculously hot, do not use a plastic baster as it will melt. Metal or silicon is your best choice.

APPLE SAUSAGE STUFFING
Ingredients
1½ med onion
1 lb pork sausage (about 3 big links, removed from the casings)
2 Granny Smith apples (or another tart type)
½ tsp caraway seeds
3 tbsp minced sage
1 tsp sea salt ½ freshly ground pepper
8 slices whole wheat bread, dried and broken up
¼ cup toasted and chopped walnuts
¼ cup toasted and chopped cashews
¼ lbs unsalted butter (I like uncultured), melted
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
½ cup (approximately, maybe less) low sodium chicken broth

Method
1. Over a medium-high heat, cook the sausage. Break it up as it cooks until it's completely cooked and lightly browned.

2. Mix the first ten ingredients together in a big mixing bowl.

3. Pour the melted and eggs over the mixture and toss together until you a a moist mix.

CUMBERLAND SAUCE
Ingredients
½ c red wine
½ c beef stock
1 shallot, minced
1 c red currant jelly (if none on hand raspberry will do)
2½ tbsp slivered orange peel
½ tsp freshly ground ginger
½ tsp Dijon mustard
juice from 1 orange
juice from 1 lemon
pinch ground cloves
pinch cayenne sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tsp cornstarch

Method
1. Heat everything together (except cornstarch, salt and pepper) for 5 minutes.

2. Mix the cornstarch in a little water and add to sauce and stir to thicken. Salt and pepper to taste.

OVEN ROASTED SWEET POTATOES
Ingredients
4 boiled Sweet Potatoes
½ Walla Walla Onion, in wedges
2 garlic cloves, sliced
3 tbsp goose fat couple of sprigs of thyme
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Method
In a large bowl, combine sweet potatoes, onion wedges, garlic slices, fat and thyme sprigs and toss well.

Place vegetables in shallow roasting pan. Bake in 425F / 218C / Gas Mark 7 oven, turning frequently, for about 30 minutes or until vegetables are soft and golden brown.

Add pecans during the last 10 minutes of baking. Drizzle with vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.

To Serve I put the stuffing down on the plate first and then top with slices of the roasted goose. Around the plate I scatter the roasted sweet potatoes and then drizzle the Cumberland sauce over the top.