Christmas‑Light Stuffed Goose

Ingredients

• 1 goose (≈4.5 kg)
• Salt
• black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 untreated orange
• 1 untreated lemon
• 4 shallots
• a handful of rosemary
• 3 firm pears
• 3 tbsp clarified butter
• 100 g gingerbread with dark chocolate glaze
• a pinch of ground cloves
• 1 Carrot
• ½ stalk leeks
• ½ bulb celery root
• 150 g kumquats
• 800 ml dry white wine
• a handful of marjoram

Instructions

1. 1.

   Remove the giblets from the goose and wash its inside and outside, then pat it dry. Season generously with salt and pepper, place in a large roasting pan. Rinse the orange and lemon hot, grate their zest finely and squeeze out the juice. Stir half the orange zest into the lemon juice and brush the goose with this mixture. Chop the goose neck into small pieces and lay them beside the bird in the pan. Cut the heart and liver into small pieces as well. Peel the shallots and dice finely. From 2–3 rosemary sprigs, finely chop the needles. Peel the pears, remove cores and cube the flesh.

2. 2.

   Heat the clarified butter in a hot skillet and brown the heart and liver. Add the shallots and sauté until translucent. Mix in the chopped rosemary, then remove everything from the pan. Crumble the gingerbread into the skillet, add the pears, season with salt, pepper and cloves, and mix well. Fill the goose cavity with this mixture, seal the opening, and let it marinate overnight (no need to refrigerate – simply place it in an unheated oven).

3. 3.

   The next day remove the goose and preheat the oven to 180 °C (convection). Wash, peel and dice the carrot, leeks and celery root. Slice the kumquats into rounds. Add the vegetables and remaining rosemary to the pan with the goose. Pour in the wine and about 300 ml water. Roast for approximately 1½ hours. If the crust isn’t crisp, turn on the oven grill for another 5 minutes. Remove, flip the goose, sprinkle marjoram, season again, and roast another 1½ hours, adding water if needed.

4. 4.

   After cooking, the goose should be crispy; if not, use the grill once more. Then remove it, strain the sauce through a sieve or leave it chunky, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

5. 5.

   Sprinkle remaining orange zest over the goose for garnish and top with a few kumquat rounds.

6. 6.

   Serve alongside red cabbage with cherries and a potato‑apple gratin.