ROAST GOOSE BREAST & BRAISED LEGS

By BobD

Ingredients

• 8 SERVINGS
• Roasted Holiday Goose Breast and Braised Legs with Cassis Sauce
• Serve with candied sweet potatoes and roasted pearl onions.
• • 1 goose, 10 to 12 pounds, excess fat removed
• • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• • 1 tablespoon each crushed juniper berries and grated fresh gingerroot
• • 1 orange, zest removed in thin strips, fruit peeled and diced
• • 1 rib celery, diced
• • 1 onion, quartered
• • 1 leek, white part only, split lengthwise
• • 4 cups diced mirepoix: mixed carrots, onions, celery and leeks
• • 1 bouquet garni: 4 bay leaves, 2 tablespoons dried thyme, 1 tablespoon black peppercorns, and 4 whole cloves, tied in cheesecloth
• • 1 quart poaching liquid reserved from legs, or chicken stock
• • 1 cup cassis (black currant liqueur)
• • 2 shallots, minced
• • 1/2 cup dried red currants
• • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature

Details

Servings 8
Adapted from dartagnan.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. One day before serving, remove legs from goose at thigh joint, leaving breast on carcass. Rub breast and carcass inside and out with salt, pepper, juniper berries, ginger, and orange zest. Place deiced orange, celery, onion, and leek inside cavity. Prick skin all over, place carcass on a rack, and refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours.

2. While breast is marinating, place legs in a casserole with mirepoix and bouquet garni. Add enough water to cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat so liquid just simmers, cover pot, and cook until legs are tender and meat easily pulls away from the bones, at least 2 hours. Remove from heat and let cool. When legs are cool enough to handle, remove skin and bones, and discard. Skim fat from top of poaching liquid; strain liquid and reserve. Shred leg meat and reserve. Legs may be cooked 1 day ahead, covered, and refrigerated.

3. Remove breast from refrigerator and allow to stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. Preheat oven to 475°F.

4. Place goose, breast side up, on a rack in a large roasting pan, and roast for 30 minutes. Turn heat down to 400°F, and continue roasting until skin is golden brown and juices run pale pink when meat is pricked deep in breast, about 35 minutes longer, basting periodically with pan juices. Remove from oven and transfer to a platter. Tent with aluminum foil and let rest.

5. Discard fat from roasting pan and empty contents of carcass and any juices into pan. Pour in 1 quart of the reserved poaching liquid, the cassis, shallots, and currants, and deglaze pan, stirring up all browned particles. Pour into a saucepan and bring sauce to a boil over high heat. Cook until reduced by two-thirds. Strain sauce, season with salt and pepper, and stir in butter. Keep warm.

6. Warm leg meat, and moisten with a little cassis sauce. Place a large spoonful of leg meat in the center of each warmed dinner plate. Remove breast from goose carcass and carve across grain into long angular slices. Drape 3 to 4 slices over leg meat, spoon sauce over, and serve.