Colonial Goose II
Colonial Goose II is a traditional New Zealand recipe for a classic dish of a boned and stuffed leg of mutton marinated in red wine thats braised in the marinade and served with a sauce made from the pan juices, and which used to be served instead of goose at Christmas. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic New Zealand version of: Colonial Goose II.
prep time
20 minutes
cook time
420 minutes
Total Time:
440 minutes
Serves:
6
Rating: 
Tags : Spice RecipesHerb RecipesMutton RecipesVegetable RecipesNew-zealand Recipes
In effect, Colonial Goose is mutton dressed as goose. As a result of colonial migration this was a very popular dish in New Zealand, where there were many sheep but a paucity of geese. Indeed, this dish was often substituted for the more traditional goose at the
Christmas table.
Ingredients:
2.25kg leg of mutton or lamb
For the Stuffing:
120g ready to eat dried apricots
120g pinhead oats
30g butter
1 tbsp runny honey
60g onions, finely chopped
1/4 tsp fresh thyme
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly-ground
black pepper
2 tbsp wild pepperleaf (or 1/2 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp minced tarragon)
2
bayleaves, finely shredded
1 egg, beaten
For the Marinade:
500g carrots, finely diced
2 large onions, sliced
2
bayleaves
2 sprigs of thyme
1 tsp freshly-ground
black pepper
2 sprigs of parsley, crushed
2 bottles of red wine
Method:
On the previous day, prepare the stuffing. Coarsely chop the apricots, then combine with the oats and chopped onions. Melt the butter and add along with the honey, salt, black pepper, pepperleaf and bayleaf. Add the beaten egg and mix together to bind.
In a separate bowl, combine all the ingredients for the marinade. Tunnel bone the mutton (reserve the bones) then loosely fill the cavity with the stuffing. Sew the openings closed then place in a large bag and pour over the marinade. Seal the bag securely (remove any excess air) and place the meat in the refrigerator to marinate for 24 hours (turn the bag occasionally to ensure it's evenly marinated).
Crack the reserved bones and place in a roasting tin. Sit the mutton on top and pour over the marinade. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 120°C and cook for 7 hours, basting frequently with the pan juices. When the meat is cooked, remove from the oven, cover with foil and set aside for 15 minute to rest.
Strain the pan juices into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Reduce and thicken with a flour and butter mix (if needed). Slice the mutton leg and arrange on a serving plate. Pour over a little of the sauce. Take to the table and accompany with the remaining sauce, roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Find more Christmas Recipes Here.