Roast goose with herb stuffing recipe

Trim fat from inside of goose and reserve for roasting vegetables or discard. Pat skin and cavity dry with paper towel, then rub with 1 tbsp salt. Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove from fridge 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat oven to 190°C. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat, add leeks and cook for 15 minutes or until golden. Add bacon and cook for 5 minutes or until browned. Add garlic and breadcrumbs, and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until crumbs are golden. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. Stand for 10 minutes, then stir in herbs, chestnuts and eggs.

Spoon stuffing into goose cavity, bring legs together and secure with string. Place in a heavy-based roasting pan with wine and 250ml (1 cup) water. Roast for 3 hours or until juices run clear when the thickest part of a thigh is pierced. Transfer goose to a plate, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes. Reserve pan with juices.

To make gravy, heat stock in a saucepan over medium heat. Place roasting pan with juices over medium heat, add flour and stir for 3 minutes or until mixture starts to brown. Gradually add stock and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until mixture thickens. Season.

Serve roasted goose with gravy, bread sauce and roasted vegetables.

* Whole geese are available from selected poultry shops and butchers. If frozen, defrost in refrigerator overnight.

DRINK Champagne Pol Roger Brut ($65) or 2009 Simonnet-Febvre Chablis ler Cru Vaillons ($42).

Photography by John Laurie.