Spiced Roast Goose with Dried-Fruit Pan Sauce

Active time: 1 hr
Start to finish: 4 hr

8 oz dried figs (preferably Calmyrna; 1 1/3 cups), stems discarded
8 oz dried apricots (1 1/4 cups)
8 oz pitted prunes (1 1/4 cups)
1 tablespoon whole allspice
1 tablespoon mixed peppercorns (black, white, green, and pink)
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted
1 (12-lb) goose, wing tips removed
2 medium onions, quartered
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots (2 large)
2/3 cup Armagnac (40yr Brandy opt.Cognac)
2 cups veal demiglace
2 tablespoons apricot jam or preserves

Special equipment: 5 (8-inch) metal or wooden skewers; small pliers;
kitchen
string; an adjustable V-rack; a large flameproof roasting pan at least 2
inches deep (not nonstick); a metal bulb baster (not plastic)

Prepare dried fruit:
Cover figs, apricots, and prunes with water in a 3-quart saucepan and
simmer, covered, 20 minutes. Drain in a sieve. Reserve 2 cups fruit, then
thread remainder onto 4 skewers.

Prepare goose: Preheat oven to 425 F.
Crack allspice and peppercorns using a mortar and pestle (or spread spices
on a kitchen towel and crack with bottom of a heavy skillet), then stir
into
butter.
Discard neck, giblets, and any loose fat from goose. Using pliers, pull
out
any remaining quills. Prick skin all over with remaining skewer
(especially
thighs and breast), holding skewer nearly parallel to skin to avoid
puncturing meat. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with skewer. Season
goose well with salt inside and out. Put onions and reserved 2 cups fruit
in
cavity and tie legs together loosely with string. Rub skin all over with
spiced butter.

Roast goose:
Put goose on rack in roasting pan and roast in middle of oven 30 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 325 F and continue to roast, basting goose and
skimming off and reserving excess fat (for roasted potatoes) with bulb
baster every 30 minutes, 1 hour more.
Arrange skewers with fruit on rack around goose (if rack is too small to
fit
all skewers, tuck some into wings). Continue to roast goose, basting and
skimming and reserving fat in same manner, until an instant-read
thermometer
inserted into fleshy part of a thigh (do not touch bone) registers 170 F
and
several fruits from bottom of cavity speared on thermometer register
160-165 F, about 1 hour more (juices will be slightly pink when thigh is
pierced; temperature will rise to 175 F as goose stands).

Remove fruit from skewers and transfer to a bowl. Keep warm, covered.
Transfer goose with 2 large spatulas to a cutting board and let stand,
loosely covered with foil, 30 minutes. Make pan sauce while goose stands:
Pour off fat from roasting pan. Straddle pan across 2 burners, then add
shallots and saute over moderately high heat, stirring, until golden,
about 3 minutes. Add Armagnac and deglaze pan by boiling and scraping up
brown bits. Add demiglace and jam and briskly simmer, whisking, until jam
is incorporated and sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour
sauce through a sieve if desired and keep warm, covered. Discard onions
from cavity of goose and add fruit from cavity to fruit in bowl, then keep
warm, covered. Carve goose, cutting breast into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Serve fruit and sauce on the side.

Makes 8 servings.

Gourmet
Gourmet Entertains


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