Roast Goose with Marsala Gravy and Potato and Sage Stuffing

Serves 4–6

• 1 whole goose
• 100g butter–softened
• 1 onion–finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic–finely chopped
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 1 handful fresh or 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 300ml marsala
• tablespoon flour
• 600ml stock or water
• 1.5kg potatoes–peeled and cut ready to boil

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4.

Boil the potatoes until they are almost ready. Drain off and put two thirds of them aside.

Mash up the rest and mix in the garlic, onion, sage, rosemary and salt and pepper to taste.

If the goose is supplied with giblets, remove these and place the goose on a wire rack in a deep oven tray. Prick the skin all over and rub half of the butter on the skin as well as a good seasoning of salt and pepper.

Fill the goose with the mashed potato mix.

Roast for 45 minutes and remove from the oven, drain off most of the fat.

Place the remaining potatoes into the oven tray around the goose. Lightly season.

Return to the oven.

Cook for a further 1–1&fract14; hours, occasionally basting the roast potatoes.

Remove from the oven.

Lift out the goose and the potatoes and allow to rest.

Pour off most of the fat into a container (you can use it again) and leave the juices at the bottom of the tray.

Place the tray over a moderate heat and add half the Marsala, bring to the boil.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of flour in and stir; add the rest of the Marsala and the stock/water.

Allow to simmer and thicken and season to taste.

Carve the goose and serve with the potatoes, stuffing, Marsala gravy and some vegetables.

Chef says

As an alternative to roasting potatoes, you could sauté them. Simply slice the boiled potatoes and just before serving, quickly pan fry in a little goose fat until a nice golden brown, season and serve.