Cooking With Fire: Mark Best’s Roast Christmas Goose Recipe
Serving roughly six people, AEG ambassador Mark Best's festive roast goose is an absolute triumph. From the wonderfully flavoursome seasoning to the rich purpose-made gravy, this dish is the definition of a crowd pleaser. Although quite difficult, the finish product is well worth it!
Ingredients
- 1 x 4.5kg goose
- 1 x leek
- 2 x carrots
- 1 x head garlic
- 2 x star anise
- 1tsp juniper berries
- 1tsp all-spice
- 1tsp Sichuan pepper
- 1tsp white peppercorns
- 1tsp coriander seeds
- 30g sea salt flakes
- 2 x mandarins
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 dessertspoon of corn starch
Method
- Rinse the goose under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towel.
- Using a mortar and pestle, grind the spices together with the sea salt flakes.
- Using a food processor, blend the whole mandarins, then add the spices.
- Spread the spiced mandarin paste evenly into the cavity of the goose. Seal the cavity with a stainless-steel skewer.
- Take the leeks and remove the dark green tops. Wash well under running water, then finely slice the leeks.
- Peel the carrot and finely slice.
- Break the head of garlic into cloves.
- Using a portable butane torch or high gas flame, rotate the goose to shrink and dry out the skin (this gives your goose a good shape and crispy skin).
- Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan forced).
- Lay the vegetables on the bottom of a deep roasting tray, then place the goose on a wire rack over the tray.
- Cook for 45 minutes on 220°C, then reduce the heat to 160°C and cook for a further 45 minutes.
- Drain the excess fat (and retain for other uses).
- Once cooked, remove the goose from the oven and rest it for a minimum of 20 minutes. HINT: to check if your goose is cooked, tip the goose up to drain the cavity. If the juices are still red, cook a little longer until they start to turn brown.
- Remove the skewer and drain the juices and fat from the cavity and retain for the sauce.
- Place the roasting tray over a burner and brown the vegetables thoroughly if they don’t have enough colour.
- Add the red wine and retained juices and cook quickly for 2 minutes. Add a cup of hot water and simmer for 5 minutes. Pass through a fine sieve into a small pan, pressing on the solids. Discard the solids.
- Return the pan to the heat and add the cornstarch (mixed with a little water) and cook until the sauce thickens. Adjust the seasoning if required.