Thursday, January 6, 2011

Christmas Goose

Rule #1 I've learned about making Christmas dinner: Never give your guests the option to choose. Apparently I learned the hard way when I came up with the brilliant idea to ask my brother what he wanted me to cook for Christmas dinner: turkey, duck, or goose. Naturally, he gravitated towards the one thing I have never cooked on that list.

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In all honesty, I really am just yanking my brother's chain when I say that he had to make my life difficult, as I do like a good challenge in the kitchen and am always eager to try new things. Plus family always makes the best guinea pigs. I've never roasted a goose, but I thought, how much harder can it be compared to a chicken or turkey?

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Our goose came frozen at just under ten pounds, which was just enough to serve six along with three other sides. After removing the wings and pricking the skin, I rubbed the goose with salt, pepper and a good dose of five spice and stuffed the inside with an onion, orange, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise and some herbs.

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The goose was placed in a baking pan on top of some vegetables, unpeeled garlic cloves, the wings and the neck—all to help add flavour to the gravy at the end. Place the goose in a preheated oven that's been cranked up high, bring it down to 350˚F, and let it roast for about 30 minutes per pound. Every half hour, I removed the fat that had been rendered out, reserving them for a later use (roast potatoes are calling my name in the future!).

While the goose was roasting in the oven, I managed to finish up the remaining dishes for dinner: a starter of roasted kabocha salad and roasted rainbow carrots. My brother made another vegetable side dish of brussel sprouts with mushrooms and fried shallots.

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Roasted kabocha salad.

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The goose, carved and gravied.

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Roasted brussel sprouts with mushrooms and fried shallots.

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Roasted rainbow carrots.

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Christmas dinner 2011.

I'm glad we went for a goose this year. It's a nice change from your average turkey, which, after all these years, has lost a bit of its charm and excitement on me. It's absolutely delicious, so easy to make, and best of all, I know have a generous container of goose fat in my freezer. Even Santa can't give me that.

(I hear David Ort at Food with Legs also made a goose for Christmas dinner. He took his goose apart. Check out his incredible and inspiring meal here.)

3 comments:

Danielle January 6, 2011 at 9:46 a.m.  

What a beautiful dish and sides. It looks absolutely wonderful and delicious. Congratulations on cooking your goose!

Eleanor Hoh January 6, 2011 at 9:56 a.m.  

Picture perfect bird! Scrumptious with your sides. I've had it once and boy it does have a LOT of fat but so juicy and tasty. I was lazy and bought a ready cooked duck, best thing I ever did!

Bonita January 12, 2011 at 7:50 p.m.  

Thanks Danielle! Thanks Eleanor.

Yes, goose is fatty, but I can't wait to use all that rendered fat for some deliciously sinful and super crispy roast potatoes.

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