Christmas Goose

Christmas Goose Recipe

12 to 14 lb. goose, left at room temperature 1 hour before cooking

1 medium-size bulb (head) garlic, cut in half

1 small onion, cut in half

1 lemon or small orange, cut in half

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/3 cup sweet red wine, such as port, sherry or marsala, or apple juice

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1/3 cup water

2 cups canned beef broth

1 cup pitted prunes, halved

Place oven rack in lowest position. Heat oven to 425. Remove giblets,

neck

and any excess fat from around goose’s body and neck cavities, cutting with

a small sharp knife when necessary. Discard fat. Rinse bird inside and

out

with cool water. Taking care not to stab the flesh, pierce skin all over

with a fork; this will help render fat from skin. Cut off wing tips and

discard. Put garlic, onion and lemon halves in body cavity. Tie ends of

drumsticks

together to close cavity. Rub bird with salt and pepper. Place breast up

directly in a roasting pan. Rinse neck; place next to goose. Roast 30

minutes, then place roasting pan on stovetop. With a large spoon or a bulb

baster,

remove fat from pan to a 1-quart heatproof bowl or glass measuring cup; you

will remove about 2 cups. Turn bird breast-side down; roast 30 minutes

longer, repeat removing fat and turn breast-side up. Roast 30 minutes

more,

remove fat but do not turn bird over. (There should be a total of 4 cups

removed

fat; see Note.)

Reduce oven temperature to 325. Roast good about 1-1/2 hours longer or

until a meat thermometer inserted into center of thigh next to body (not

touching

bone) registers 185F. Remove bird to a carving board; cover loosely with

foil. Discard neck. Pour pan drippings into a heatproof container and

discard

when cool. Place roasting pan on burner over medium heat. Add wine and

stir with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits. When mixture

darkens

and becomes syrupy, stir cornstarch into water until blended, then whisk

into

wine mixture. Boil 1 minute; whisk in broth and stir in prunes. Cook,

stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until fruit has plumped and sauce is

slightly

thickened.

NOTE: This fat is wonderful for frying potatoes (store in the fridge). But

go easy: It is fat, after all.

Source: Woman’s Day, 12/19/95