Chef/owner Kurt Wagner,
Gasthaus Gutenberger
Roast goose is a very traditional holiday dish in Germany, where the geese are meaty and fat. Stephen & Andrews offers some large ones. Reminiscent of pork, the goose’s crackle of fat provides contrasting texture to the soft and mild dumplings.
Ingredients
Stuffing
10 slices of French bread, cubed
1 cup raisins (optional)
1 cup chestnuts (optional)
4 small apples, peeled and sliced
1 Tbsp marjoram
1/2 tsp thyme
4 Tbsp butter, melted
salt and pepper to taste
Goose
1 goose, approximately 10 lbs
1 cup water
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
Dumplings
4 cups day old baguettes or buns, cubed
1/4 cup butter
3 eggs
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp salt
4 cups water
1 Tbsp butter
Method
Stuffing
1. In a large bowl, combine bread, raisins, chestnuts, apples, thyme, marjoram, salt, pepper and butter. Set aside.
Goose
1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.
2. Rinse goose under cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Remove any gizzards from cavity.
3. Stuff goose with bread mixture and tie legs together with cotton string. Prick goose with fork all over.
4. Heat oil in large roasting pan on top of stove and brown goose lightly on all sides. Remove from heat and drain off drippings. Reserve drippings.
5. Set goose, breast side up, in roasting pan. Add water. Cover and roast at 375˚F for 1 hour.
6. Remove from oven and discard fat from roasting pan.
7. In a large bowl, combine onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf, cloves, thyme and marjoram. Sprinkle mixture around goose.
8. Continue roasting uncovered for 20-25 min per pound, draining off fat at intervals. Add more water as required.
9. Remove from oven and skim off fat from drippings. Add drippings to reserve and use in your favourite gravy recipe.
Dumplings
1. In a large bowl, mix together bread, eggs and milk.
2. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, sauté onions in butter until translucent, approximately
5-10 min. Remove from heat and add to bread mixture.
3. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add parsley mix until blended.
4. Roll mixture into balls approximately 2″ in width.
5. In a large, deep pot, add salt and water. Bring to a boil.
6. Cook dumplings in boiling water. Dumplings are finished when they rise to the top, approximately 5-10 min.
Yield 4-6 servings