Church Festival Goose with Red Cabbage and Dumplings

Ingredients

• 4 kg young goose (1 young goose)
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1 tbsp black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• 2 onions
• 1 Carrot
• 150 ml dark beer
• 1.25 kg waxy potatoes
• 150 g flour
• 2 Eggs
• Salt
• 2 tbsp Cornstarch
• 4 Tbsp breadcrumbs
• 6 tbsp butter
• 1 small red cabbage (about 1 kg)
• 1 onion
• 2 tbsp pork lard
• 100 ml white wine vinegar
• Salt
• Pepper
• a pinch of sugar
• 0.5 tsp ground cloves
• 2 Apples
• parsley sprig (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Wash the goose inside and out and dry thoroughly; remove any feather remnants if necessary.

2. 2.

   Rub the goose inside and out with salt and pepper, then sprinkle marjoram on the inside.

3. 3.

   Peel the onion and carrot and cut into large pieces.

4. 4.

   Bring 250 ml water to a boil, place the goose breast-side down in a roasting pan, pour boiling water over it, and distribute onion and carrot pieces around.

5. 5.

   Place the pan in a cold oven (lower rack). Set the oven to 200 °C and roast the goose for about 1.5 hours until fat begins to render.

6. 6.

   Turn the goose so that its legs face up in the pan. Prick the skin under the legs and wings several times to allow fat to escape, then roast for another 50 minutes, skimming fat every 10 minutes and basting with pan juices.

7. 7.

   Increase oven temperature to 240 °C. Remove the goose from the pan, place it leg-side up on a rack, brush with beer, and return to the lower rack; put a tray beneath to catch drippings.

8. 8.

   Roast for another 30 minutes, brushing with beer occasionally until skin is crisp and golden.

9. 9.

   For the dumplings, wash potatoes and boil in water for 20 minutes. Drain, peel while hot, press through a potato ricer. Mix flour, eggs, and salt into a dough.

10. 10.

    Bring plenty of salted water to a boil. Dissolve cornstarch in cold water, add to boiling water. With damp hands form dumplings from the potato dough and cook in the hot water with the lid open for 20 minutes, without boiling.

11. 11.

    For the red cabbage, trim and wash the cabbage, remove core, slice into fine strips, rinse and drain. Dice onion finely. Heat lard, sauté cabbage and onion. Add vinegar and 100 ml water, season, then simmer for 40–50 minutes. Near the end, wash apples, quarter them, remove cores, cut quarters into thicker slices, add to cabbage and cook for another 10 minutes.

12. 12.

    Keep the finished goose warm in a turned-off oven while sauce finishes. Skim fat, strain pan juices through a sieve into a pot, break up any clumps from the bottom of the pan. Bring to a boil, reduce by simmering if needed. Plate the goose with dumplings and red cabbage; serve sauce separately.

13. 13.

    For the dumplings, sauté breadcrumbs in hot butter until golden brown and sprinkle over dumplings. Garnish with parsley before serving.