Roast Goose Stuffed with Mashed Potato

Ingredients:

1 goose with giblets (dressed weight about 4.5kg [10 lb])
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1.4kg (3 lbs) potatoes, peeled, chopped into large chunks and rinsed
2 bunches spring onions, trimmed and sliced
1 tbsp fresh sage leaves, chopped

For the gravy:
4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
1 small lump goose fat (from inside the goose’s cavity), chopped
goose giblets, all coarsely chopped up
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 celery sticks, chopped
1 small glass of calvados (or cognac)
1 tbsp plain flour
150ml madeira
400ml chicken stock
2 tbsp pontack sauce (or use redcurrant jelly)

Method:

Begin by puncturing the skin of the bird many times with the point of a thin skewer or the tip of a sharp knife. When the boiling water is poured over these holes will allow the subcutaneous fat to flow out. Remove any lumps of fat from inside the goose (keep a small piece for the gravy, but freeze the remainder — it makes the best roast potatoes), then set the bird aside to dry completely.

If you have an electric fan, hang the bird up then direct the air flow from the fan over it. Set aside, preferably over night and beside an open window. This will mean that you will have moist flesh and delectably crispy skin. This really is worth the effort.

When ready to cook, pre-heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan/430°F/gas mark 7).

Rub salt all over the goose and sprinkle some inside the cavity as well then season inside with plenty of freshly-ground black pepper. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender (about 20 minutes), drain well and coarsely mash them; use an old fashioned hand-held manual masher for best results. Add the spring onions and sage (if using) then pack this mixture into the cavity of the goose. Lay it in a roomy roasting tin and place in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes and then turn the temperature down to 180°C (160°C fan/360°F/gas mark 4). Cook for a further 90 minutes, or so. Be sure to occasionally remove the bird from the oven to tip out into a bowl the copious amount of molten fat that is released.

While the goose is cooking, prepare the gravy. Fry the bacon with the reserved lump of goose fat in a heavy-based saucepan, until both are crisp and browned. Incorporate the chopped giblets and cook until well coloured, followed by the vegetables, similarly treated. Drain off all but about 1 tbsp of fat, turn down the heat and add the calvados. Allow to bubble away until almost completely evaporated, then add the flour, stirring to incorporate and let it brown a little, stirring constantly for a minute or two.

At this point pour in the madeira and stock, and add the pontack sauce (or redcurrant jelly). Bring up to a simmer (removing any scum that generates with a small ladle), stirring, and allow to quietly and gently simmer away for a good 40-45 minutes. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into a clean pan, discarding the exhausted debris. Set aside to keep hot.

To serve, scoop out the potato from the bird’s cavity and pile onto a large, heated platter (some of the potato may have rudely exuded from the cavity while roasting, turning it exquisitely crisp), then carve the goose and lay neat slices on the potato it. Moisten the meat with a little gravy to give it a shine; decant the remainder into a sauce boat.

Accompany with the vegetables of your choice and some apple/cranberry/bread sauce.