Roast Goose with Confit Goose Legs

Try to buy the best organic or free-range bird you can get. The quality of your bird will determine the success of this experience! If you are unable to use a fresh goose, ensure that your frozen goose is thoroughly defrosted.

Ingredients
1 x 4.5-5kg/10-11lb goose (specification: 3.9kg/8½lb oven ready goose, with the following as extra: 245g/9oz excess fat, 500g/1lb 2oz wings, 215g/7½oz neck, 285g/10oz gizzards)
2 bay leaves, 1 finely chopped, 1 whole
2 sprigs thyme, leaves picked and chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
3 pinches coarse sea salt
2 pinches black pepper
sea salt and freshly ground white pepper
600g/1lb 5oz goose wings and neck, (as above) cut into 2cm/1in pieces
30g/1oz goose fat
100g/3½oz onion, cut into 3cm/1½in pieces
60g/2¼oz carrot, peeled, cut into 3cm/1½in pieces
20g/1oz celery, cut into 3cm/1½in pieces
3 sprigs fresh thyme
80g/3oz unsalted butter, softened
200ml/7fl oz port (optional)
100ml/3½fl oz Madeira (optional)

Preparation method
Ask the butcher to prepare the goose for you - remove the legs for the confit. Ask him or her to remove the wings, neck and excess carcass and chop these up into 2cm/1in pieces. (You should end up with about 600g/1lb 5oz of wing and neck meat.) Finally ask him or her to remove the wish bone- this makes the goose easier to carve.
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/Gas 2.
Rub the flesh of the goose legs with the chopped bay leaf, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Place a large flameproof roasting pan on the hob on a medium heat, and brown the wings and neck in the goose fat for five minutes until light golden-brown, add the vegetables and continue to brown for three minutes.
Place the goose legs skin side up in the bottom of the roasting tray with the browned bones, vegetables and cover the tray tightly with foil.
Roast in the oven for one hour. Remove the tray from the oven and increase the temperature to 230C/450F/Gas 8.
Brush the goose crown with the softened butter and season well with sea salt and freshly ground white pepper.
Remove the foil from the tray and sit the goose crown on top the legs and bones and roast in the oven for 30 minutes.
Turn the oven down to 150C/300F/Gas 2, add 300ml/7fl oz water, the whole bay leaf and thyme to the roasting pan which will create your jus as it cooks.
Continue to cook for 30-35minutes or until the temperature of the breast reaches 55C/130F, basting every 10 minutes with the roasting juices.
Remove the crown from the oven and tightly wrap in foil. Return the legs to the oven while the crown rests for 30 minutes.
Combine the port and Madeira (if using) in small saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the volume of the liquid has reduced by half. Set aside.
Remove the goose legs from the oven and place onto a tray, covered, to rest. Reserve in a warm place until needed.
To make the jus, pour off the excess fat that has rendered from the goose and reserve for your roast potatoes. Place the roasting pan over a medium heat, add the port and Madeira reduction and bring to the boil, stirring the bottom of the tray to incorporate the caramelised roasting juices. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required. Remember to pour the juices from the resting goose into the jus.
Strain the jus through a fine sieve into a warm sauce boat. (The jus can be bound with ½ teaspoon of arrowroot mixed with ½ teaspoon of water.)
Carve the goose crown and confit legs into slices and serve.
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