RECIPE: Step Back in Time with Roasted Christmas Goose

The holiday season is a sentimental time of year. Nostalgia for past holiday seasons and excitement about what's to come make this a particularly special time of year for millions of people across the globe.

It's not uncommon for Christmas celebrants to include a little history in their decorations and celebrations each year. Some families may read Charles Dickens' early Victorian novella A Christmas Carol together before watching one of the many film adaptations of the beloved story. Many popular Christmas carols also date back to the nineteenth century if not earlier, adding another degree of nostalgia to the season. Even food can add a touch of the sentimental to Christmas celebrations. This year, holiday hosts can create some nostalgia around the Christmas dinner table by serving this recipe for "Roasted Christmas Goose" courtesy of the Food Network and Mark Slawson of the The Wort Hotel in Jackson, Wyoming.

Roasted Christmas Goose

Yields 6 to 8 servings

1 14- to 16-pound goose

1/4 cup sea salt

1 lemon, halved

1 apple, cut into chunks

1 potato, cut into chunks

1 orange, sliced

1 cup chopped celery

Basting Syrup (recipe follows)

Stuffing (recipe follows)

Cumberland Sauce (recipe follows)

Basting Syrup

1/3 cup corn syrup

1/3 cup cane syrup

1/3 cup melted butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tablespoons brandy

Stuffing

3 cups whole chestnuts, roasted and peeled

1 14-ounce bag stuffing mix

1 cup raisins

1/2 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup diced apple

1/4 cup diced onion

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

3 cups chicken stock

3/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream

Cumberland Sauce:

1 1/2 cups beef stock

3/4 cup port wine

3/4 cup red wine vinegar

3 shallots, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon crushed black peppercorns

3 oranges, juiced

DIRECTIONS

1. Place goose in a large pot. Add water to cover and stir in the sea salt. Refrigerate overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

3. Remove goose from water and drain well. Remove all innards and trim excess fat from the tail. Rub inside cavity with lemon juice. Place apple, potato, orange and celery inside the body cavity. Truss the bird like a turkey.

4. Place the goose in the preheated 450 degree F oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Cook 20 to 25 minutes per pound. Baste the goose every half hour with the Basting Syrup.

5. Carve goose and serve with Stuffing and Cumberland sauce.

Basting Syrup:

6. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl.

Stuffing:

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

8. Coarsely chop the chestnuts and put in a large bowl. Add the stuffing mix, raisins, celery, apple, onion and salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Pour in the chicken stock, butter and cream and mix until evenly moistened.

9. Transfer to a baking dish and bake until the top is browned and crisp, about 1 hour.

Cumberland Sauce:

10. In a saucepan, combine the stock, port, vinegar, shallots, peppercorns and orange juice. Bring to a boil, cook until reduced by 2Ú3, about 25 minutes. Strain and refrigerate. Serve cold over roast goose.

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