Roast Goose with Chestnuts and Wild Mushrooms

So in our minds roast goose and Christmas are forever linked.

But, goose is available frozen all-year-round, and fresh from late-summer to December in specialty markets. It's not just a Christmas or holiday recipe, although it is traditional Christmas fare in many European countries.

This particular roast goose recipe featuring wild mushrooms and chestnuts is adapted from Anne Willan's book, My Chateau Kitchen. (It was shared with her by Mme Fournilon, a farmer in Burgundy, France.)

For the roast goose recipe you will need:

10 lb goose, with giblets

1 onion, sliced

1 carrot, sliced

2 tablespoons butter, softened

salt and pepper

2 pounds fresh chestnuts

2 cups milk, more if needed

2 cups chicken stock

trussing needle and string

For the mushrooms you will need:

1-1/2 pounds wild mushrooms of your choice (chanterelles, morels, shitakes..)

1/2 cup butter

2 shallots, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

How to cook a goose...

Heat the oven to 450°F. Truss the goose using a trussing needle and set it on its back in a large roasting pan. Scatter the sliced onion, carrot, and the giblets around the bird (reserve the liver for another use.) Spread the bird with the softened butter and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. Roast it, basting occasionally, until it is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Prick the bird all over with a fork to release fat under the skin. Lower the oven heat to 350°F and continue roasting, basting and pouring off the excess fat from the pan for 2 to 2-1/2 hours. (Reserve the fat. Many chefs prize goose fat for frying, roasting potatoes or vegetables, or a wide variety of other uses). See below for Testing to see if the goose is cooked )

How to cook chestnuts...

Poke a hole in each chestnut with the point of a knife, put them in a pan of cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat but leave the chestnuts in the water. Lift out a few chestnuts at a time on a draining spoon, let them cool slightly, and then strip off the skin and peel. Continue with the rest. Alternatively, you can strip off the skin and peel with a knife.

Put the peeled chestnuts in a pan with enough milk to cover and add the lid. Bring them to a boil and simmer until almost tender, 15 to 20 minutes. You don't want them too soft, or they will fall apart when roasted. Put 2 to 3 tablespoons of the reserved fat in a baking dish, drain, and add the chestnuts with salt and pepper. Stir to coat them with fat and roast them in the oven with the goose (after the heat has been lowered to 350°F) until they are glazed ad very tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

How to cook mushrooms...

Trim the stems of the mushrooms and wash them only if they are very sandy, draining them well. Otherwise use a mushroom brush or a slightly damp towel, and gently wipe any dirt off the mushrooms, checking deep crevices thoroughly for any remaining dirt.

Melt a tablespoon of the butter in a frying pan, add the mushrooms with salt and pepper, and cook, tightly covered, over very low heat until the juices run, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the lid, raise the heat, and cook until the liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. The cooking time varies from 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the type of mushroom and their size. Cream the butter with the shallots, garlic, parsley, salt, and pepper and set it aside.

Testing to see if the goose is cooked...

If you like your goose to be pink, test it after it has been roasting for a total of about 3 hours by pricking the thigh with a fork–the juices should run pink but not red, and the thigh should be slightly flexible when you wiggle it. If you prefer goose well done, continue cooking until the juices from the leg run clear and the meat starts shrinking from the knuckle bone; the thigh will be almost loose. When the goose is cooked, transfer it to a platter, cover it loosely with foil, and keep it warm.

For the gravy...

Pour off the fat from the roasting pan, leaving behind the juices. Add the stock and simmer for 10 or 15 minutes, stirring to dissolve the pan juices. Strain the gravy into a small saucepan, taste it, and adjust the seasoning.

To serve...

Reheat the chestnuts and mushrooms if necessary. Discard the trussing strings from the roast goose and pile the chestnuts around it on the platter. Stir the shallot butter into the mushrooms and pile them in a warm serving dish. Moisten the roast goose with a little gravy and serve the rest separately.

This recipe for goose serves 6 to 8

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