How to cook a goose

GBR at Dukes London's Executive head chef shares a festive recipe to jazz up your Christmas meal

With Christmas fast approaching, the good old-fashioned goose is making a big comeback for the 2017 festive season.

If this classic bird is not an annual fixture on your Christmas table, why not try this recipe from Nigel Mendham, GBR at Dukes London's Executive Head Chef.

How to make Roast goose – confit leg – celeriac – smoked pancetta – fresh cranberries

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 whole goose (breasts and legs removed and trimmed)
• 2 litre goose fat
• 10 whole white peppercorns
• 2 bay leaf
• 2 sprigs of thyme
• 20 g rock salt
• 1 tbsp cranberry sauce

Method

Marinate the goose legs for 24 hours with the peppercorns, salt, bay and thyme.

Cover with the goose fat and cook at 85 degrees for 9 hours.

Allow the goose legs to cool in the fat.

Once cool remove the skin from the legs and place on a baking tray lined with parchment cook the skin in the oven at 90 degrees until crispy.

Remove the meat from the leg and roughly chop.

Add the cranberry sauce and season with salt and lemon juice, set aside.

For the Celeriac garnish

• 1 whole celeriac
• Butter
• Salt
• Lemon juice
• Thyme

Peel the celeriac and cut in half.

Use an apple corer to make celeriac batons.

Place in a vac pack bag with a sprig of thyme, salt and 20g butter.

Seal on high setting and cook for 35 minutes at 85 degrees.

With the celeriac trimmings cut into small pieces and do the same as the batons.

Cook the trimmings for 50 minutes at 85 degrees.

Once cooked blend until smooth.

Season with salt and lemon juice.

Set aside.

For the Smoked pancetta (sliced) - Optional

With pancetta

Cook in the oven at 180 degrees until golden brown.

Remove from oven and set aside.

To cook the goose

Heat a large non-stick pan.

Season the goose breasts with salt and place skin side down in the pan.

When golden brown turn over to seal the rest of the breast.

Return to its skin side and cook in the oven at 200 degrees for 7-9 minutes.

Remove from the oven and allow to rest (keep the pan the breasts were roasted in).

For the Game sauce

• 2 litre game stock
• 200 ml port
• 200 ml red wine
• 200 g fresh cranberries
• Thyme
• Lemon juice

Wash and dry the cranberries.

Remove the excess fat from the pan and put back on the heat.

Add the port and red wine and reduce by 3/4.

Add game stock bring to the boil then simmer until reduced by half.

Add the fresh cranberries and cook over a high heat for 2 minutes.

Add the thyme and season with lemon juice.

Dukes Hotel, 35 St James's Place, London, SW1A 1NY.