Recipes for goose well worth a gander

HAPPY MEMORIES: Ant North, head chef at Wakelin House, Greytown.

Masterton's Canada goose population issue seems to have solved itself, despite suggestions of a cull or raiding the nests for eggs. The Times-Age has another idea: why don't we cook them?

Two of our readers have come forward with their favourite recipes to turn Henley's feathered denizens into fabulous dinners for Christmas.

-Ant North

Head chef, Wakelin House, Greytown

Mmmm, roast goose reminds me of when I was an apprentice at the Connaught Hotel in London. Each Christmas we would cook roast goose and all the trimmings. Wow, I remember roasting them and all that yummy fat dripping off into the roasting tray. Mmm, brussels sprouts, chestnuts, pigs in blankets and bread sauce ... I can smell it now ... Christmas!

I remember one year ordering a goose from Allan's, the butchers opposite the hotel, for my family Christmas dinner back home in Kent. When I went to pay for it, he nearly had to scrape me off the floor, as it was about my week's wages ... 50. Anyway, it got a train ride home all the way to Kent and every morsel was enjoyed.

In my opinion, it's very similar to duck but, of course, two or three times the size. It's a very rich, luxurious taste.

So what do you do if someone brings you home a goose on the train? Roast crown and rillette.

Take the legs off leaving a crown of goose. Season the crown with salt and pepper, leaving the skin on. Put into a deep oven tray, cook on 190 for around 2.5 hours, basting regularly with the juices that collect in the tray. Remove from the oven and leave to rest for 20 minutes. Slice and serve (based on a 3.5kg crown).

Rillette: Season the legs with salt, place in an ovenproof dish, submerge in goose (or duck) fat. Add a clove of garlic (whole), cook at 130 degrees for 2.5 hours or until falling off the bone. Take the meat off one leg, pulling it apart into strands. Take the meat off the other and blend to a fine paste. Combine paste with the pulled leg meat and season to taste. Place into airtight containers, and cover with the goose fat to preserve. Keep refrigerated. Serve with rustic bread and cornichons.

Happy cooking.

-Trevor Martin

Masterton Racing Club life member

Calculate the cooking time. If the goose is ready-trussed, then loosen the string and pull out the legs and wings a little - this helps the bird cook better.

Check the inside of the bird and remove any giblets or pads of fat. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score the breast and leg skin in a criss-cross.

This helps the fat to render down more quickly during roasting.

Grate the zest from lemons and limes. Mix with 2 tsp fine sea salt, the five-spice powder and pepper to taste. Season the cavity of the goose generously with salt, then rub the citrus mix well into the skin and sprinkle some inside the cavity.

Stuff the zested fruit and the herb sprigs inside the bird and set aside for at least 15 minutes. Can be done up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated.

Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. If you want to give the bird a nice golden skin, brown in a large frying pan (or a heavy-based roasting tin), using a couple of tbsp of oil.

Holding the bird by the legs (you may like to use an oven glove), press it down on the breasts to brown.

Once browned, place the bird in the roasting tin.

Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Roast for the calculated time, turning the heat down after 10 minutes to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Cover the goose with foil if it is starting to brown too much.

Every 30 minutes or so, baste the bird with the pan juices, then pour off the fat through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl .

You will end up with at least a litre of luscious fat - save this for the potatoes and other veg.

At the end of the cooking time, leave to rest for at least 30 minutes, covered loosely with foil. The bird will not go cold, but will be moist and easier to carve.