Goose with Chestnut Stuffing and Port ..

Cooking Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450. Wash, drain, and dry goose with paper towels, then rub, inside and out, with salt and pepper.

2. For stuffing, melt 2 tbsp. butter in a skillet over medium heat. Cook onions and garlic until soft, about 15 minutes. Add celery and cook 5 minutes more, then transfer to a bowl. Melt remaining 1 tbsp. butter in the same pan, add mushrooms and thyme, and cook 7 - 8 minutes more. Combine mushrooms with onion mixture, then add chestnuts, bread crumbs, egg, and stock, and mix well. Set stuffing aside.

3. For sauce, put neck, giblets, celery, garlic, onions, parsley, peppercorns, and 6 cups water in a large saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low, skim off foam, and simmer for 2 hours. Strain, reserving stock and giblets. Discard remaining solids. Peel and finely chop giblets and set aside.

4. While stock cooks, loosely pack body and neck cavity of goose with stuffing. Tie legs closed with kitchen string. Prick legs and thighs with a fork. Roast on a rack in a roasting pan for 1/2 hour. Lower heat to 325 and cook for 1-1/2 - 2 hours more or until thigh juices run clear. Transfer goose to a platter and allow to rest for 15 minutes, then remove stuffing and carve.

5. While goose rests, put roasting pan with drippings on top of stove (use 2 burners if necessary) over medium heat. Skim and discard fat from juices. Add port and deglaze, scraping brown bits from bottom of pan. Add giblets and stock and reduce liquid by half, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve sauce with goose and stuffing.

Wine Pairing(s)

Selbach Oster Riesling Dry

Marimar 'Don Miguel' Charrdonnay

Kangaroo Ridge Chardonnay

Vintellect Shiraz

Penfold's 'Grange' Shiraz

Bernardus Chardonnay

Matthieu De Brully Volnay

Penley Estate Chardonnay

The Little Penguin Shiraz

BOVC Shiraz