Roast with Apples and Cider Serves 6 5kg oven-ready goose 1 medium onion, peeled and quartered 3 bay leaves, plus extra for garnish 3 small red eating apples, such as Cox or Discovery flaked sea salt freshly ground black pepper

Stock goose giblets (not the ) These should come with FOOD FACTS the goose Traditionally, geese were eaten during 1 medium onion, peeled and cut into large chunks Whitsun celebrations in May, at 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped into roughly Michaelmas on 29 September and at 2cm pieces . The birds were usually reared 1 celery stick, chopped into roughly 2 cm pieces in Lincolnshire and East Anglia and then 2 bay leaves driven on foot to London markets. small bunch fresh thyme Goose with Sauce Madame is a medieval 1 litre water recipe of roasted goose stuffed with quince, pears and grapes. Once cooked, Apple and sage the stuffing is then blended with wine 2 tbsp goose fat (reserved from cooking the goose) and spices to make the fruity sauce. 2 medium onions, finely chopped Historical facts provided by Monica Askay, Cook and Food Historian 1 medium cooking apple (Bramley) 1 tsp caster sugar 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves, plus extra sage leave to garnish 1 goose liver (if available) 100g fresh white breadcrumbs 500g good-quality (squeezed out of if you like)

Cider gravy 2 heaped tbsp plain flour 300ml giblet stock (see above) 250ml dry cider ① Remove the goose giblets and the neck from the bird. ⑧ To check that the goose is cooked, pierce the thickest part Make sure the goose is thoroughly thawed if previously of the thigh with a skewer, then press the skewer against the frozen. Preheat the oven to 200C/fan oven 180C/Gas 6. leg and check the juices that run out. When the goose is Place the goose on a rack over a large sturdy tin cooked, the juices should run clear. Also, when you wiggle and prick with a skewer a few times down each side just the legs, they should move fairly freely. (If not, pop back below the wing – you’ll see a fatty pillow under the skin on into the oven for a few more minutes. ) each side. (This will help release the fat.) Season the goose ⑨ Take the goose out of the oven and transfer to a warmed well with salt and pepper.  serving platter. Cover loosely with foil and a couple of dry ② Put the quartered onion and 3 bay leavers into the goose tea towels. Leave to rest for 25-30 minutes. Increase the body cavity and cover the legs with folded triangles of foil. oven temperature to 220C/fan oven 200C/Gas 7. (If your Roast the goose for 20 minutes per kg, plus an extra 20 oven door is splattered with a little goose fat, give it a quick minutes if you like your goose well done. A 5kg goose will wipe before increasing the temperature.) need 2 hours. ⑩ Cut the eating apples in half horizontally through the ③ While the goose is cooking, prepare the stock and stuffing. middle and put on the baking tray with the stuffing balls. Separate the liver from the rest of the giblets – it will be the Brush the cut side of each apple with a little more oil. Bake larger, pale and softer. Pat dry on kitchen paper and cut in the centre of the oven for about 20 minutes or until the into small pieces, discarding any sinew or damaged parts. stuffing is golden brown and cooked throughout and the Put in a small bowl, cover and chill until ready to use. apples are tender. ④ Put the rest of the giblets into a big pan with neck cut While the stuffing balls are baking, make the gravy with the into 3 or 4 pieces. Add the onion, carrots, celery stick, bay giblet stock and cider. Hold the roasting tin with a dry tea leaves, thyme and seasoning. Pour over the water and towel at one end, so all the cooking juices run to the corner. bring to the boil. Reduce the heat slightly and simmer Spoon off as much of the goose fat as possible into a bowl. gently for 1 ¼ hours. Put a lid on the pan for the last 30 Try to retain plenty of the cooking juices and sediment as minutes so the stock does not evaporate too much. (You these will add lots of flavour to your gravy. are aiming to be left with around 300ml liquid.) Strain Place the roasting tin on the hob over a medium heat and through a sieve into a measuring jug. stir in the flour until thoroughly combined. Slowly stir in ⑤ After the goose has been cooking for 1 hour, take it out the cider and 300ml of the goose stock. Bring to the boil, of the oven and put on a board. VERY carefully drain stirring constantly and scraping up the sediment from the the fat from the roasting tin into a large heatproof bowl. bottom of the pan. Pour into a saucepan and return to a Reduce the oven temperature to 180C/fan oven 160C/ simmer, stirring with a whisk to break up any floury lumps. Gas 4. Return the goose to the rack and continue cooking Cook for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally then season for a further 1 hour, removing the foil after 30 minutes with plenty of salt and pepper. Strain though a fine sieve so the legs can brown. (If your goose is very fatty, you into a warmed jug. may need to remove it from the oven and drain the fat Remove the tea towel and foil from the goose. Place the one more time during the last hour of cooking. This will apples around the goose and garnish with a few sage or prevent the fat spluttering inside your oven or popping in bay leaves. Serve the stuffing and gravy with the goose at the base of the tin.) the table. ⑥ To make the stuffing, heat 2 tbsp of the reserved fat in a large non-stick pan and fry the onions for 5 minutes or until softened and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. FOOD FACTS Peel the cooking apple and cut into quarters. Discard the core and cut the apple into small pieces. Scatter the apple The Discovery Apple was first grown in into the pan with the onion and sprinkle with the sugar. Essex, around 1949, from a Worcester Cook for a further 3-4 minutes, until lightly carameslised. Pearmain pip. Ripening early, it is best Add the goose liver and fry for a further 1-2 minutes until eaten straight from the tree. The apple has browned. Tip into a large bowl and leave to cool. creamy white flesh that’s often tinged pink, with a hint of strawberry flavour. ⑦ Stir the breadcrumbs, sausagemeat and sage to the onions, apple and liver once cooked. Season with lots of salt and Cider making was first introduced pepper and mix well. Grease a 20x30cm shallow baking to Sussex and Kent by the Normans tin with a little more of the reserved goose fat. Spoon the in the 12th century. In the Welsh stuffing mixture into the tin and spread evenly. Cover and borders and West Country ciders chill until ready to bake. have traditionally been made from specific cider apple varieties. Historical facts provided by Monica Askay, Cook and Food Historian