Christmas Goose

Ingredients

• 1 goose (without entrails) about 4.5 kg
• Salt
• black pepper (freshly ground)
• 4 tbsp clarified butter
• 200 g butter
• 350 g flour
• 30 g yeast
• 80 ml lukewarm milk
• 40 g sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 yolks
• 120 g dried apricots
• 80 g candied orange slice
• 50 g Raisins
• 70 g chopped almonds
• 400 ml poultry stock
• 6 tbsp honey (more if desired)
• 6 tbsp light soy sauce (more if desired)
• kitchen twine
• 1 red cabbage
• 1 large apple
• Salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 lemon (juice)
• 100 ml mild vinegar with low acidity
• 3 onions
• 50 g goose fat
• 50 g lingonberry jam
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 250 ml red wine
• black pepper (freshly ground)
• parsley (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash the goose, pat dry and season inside and out with salt and pepper. Melt 100 g of butter for the stuffing and let it cool.

2. 2.

   For the yeast dough put flour in a bowl, make a well in the center. Dissolve yeast in milk and add to the well along with sugar, salt, egg and yolks; knead into a smooth dough. Cover with a cloth and let rise at room temperature for about 45 minutes until doubled in volume. Dice apricots and orange slices, mix with raisins and chopped almonds, then fold into the dough. Place the dough in the goose cavity and tie the opening securely with kitchen twine.

3. 3.

   Place the goose in a pan greased with clarified butter and let it rest for about an hour. Preheat the oven to 130 °C (250 °F) fan‑forced or conventional and roast the goose in the pan for approximately 4–5 hours.

4. 4.

   After about two hours, pour in 200 ml poultry stock. In the meantime melt the remaining butter and combine with honey and soy sauce to make a glaze; reduce into a syrup.

5. 5.

   When the goose has cooked for two hours, remove it from the oven. Place a rack on a baking sheet and set the goose on top. Increase the oven temperature to 220 °C (425 °F) fan‑forced, brush the goose with glaze, return to the oven and continue roasting until it is crisp brown, brushing again as needed.

6. 6.

   Pour the pan juices into a pot, deglaze and reduce slightly. Add the remaining 200 ml poultry stock, bring to a boil and reduce again.

7. 7.

   Stir in the remaining glaze mixture and taste for seasoning.

8. 8.

   For the red cabbage, slice or shred finely. Peel and julienne the apple. Mix with salt, one tablespoon of sugar, lemon juice, and six tablespoons vinegar; let stand at least an hour.

9. 9.

   Peel and finely chop onions. In a large pot heat goose fat, add remaining sugar and lightly caramelize, deglaze with remaining vinegar, then sauté onions. Add cabbage, jam, cinnamon, red wine, salt and pepper; cover and simmer for about 30 minutes.

10. 10.

    Stir occasionally. Remove the cinnamon stick before serving.

11. 11.

    Carve the goose and carefully remove the stuffing, slicing into pieces. Taste the cabbage and arrange on plates alongside slices of goose and stuffing. Garnish with steamed fruit and parsley if desired. Serve hot with sauce on the side.