Wild Goose Chase

 

1 cup dried apricots, halved

2 cups dried prunes, halved

1/2 cup Madeira wine

1 goose (12 lb.)

juice of 1 orange

2 tart apples

grated zest of 1 orange

salt and pepper to taste

dash paprika

8 slices bacon

1 1/4 cups Wild Goose Sauce (recipe below)

 

Place apricots and prunes in mixing bowl. Add Madeira. Mix and set aside. Preheat oven to 325F. Rinse goose and pat dry. Prick all over with fork. Rub inside and out with orange juice. Add apples and orange zest to apricots and prunes. Sprinkle goose inside and out with salt, pepper and paprika. Stuff cavity with fruit. Skewer opening closed. Lay bacon slices across breast. Place goose, breast side up, in shallow roasting pan. Roast for 1 1/2 hours, removing accumulated fat every 30 minutes. Remove bacon and roast for 1 hour more, removing fat after 30 minutes. Remove from oven. Let stand 20 minutes before carving. Make sauce:

 

pan drippings from roasted goose

2 green onions, chopped

3/4 cup chicken stock

1/2 cup Madeira wine

1 T. peppercorns, slightly crushed

1 tsp. cornstarch

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

 

Scrape brown pan drippings into saucepan. Add green onions, 1/2 cup stock, Madeira and peppercorns. Simmer 5 minutes. Mix cornstarch with remaining 1/4 cup stock until smooth. Slowly drizzle into sauce, stirring rapidly. Add salt and pepper. Stir, simmer 5 minutes. Serve over goose.