Ingredients

• 4 slices bacon
• 1 tbsp. goose fat
• goose giblets
• 1 small carrot
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 black peppercorns

Preparation

Fry the bacon and vegetables in the goose fat until soft and golden brown. Pour off any excess fat, and add 1 liter of water, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Simmer for one hour, strain, and set aside.

Use this stock to deglaze the roasting pan when your goose is finished. Check for seasoning, sieve the gravy again, and serve in a gravy boat.

Pigeon Cottage

Ingredients

• one goose (small 3-4.5kg, medium 4.5-5.5kg, large 5.5-6.5kg)
• bay leaves
• fresh sage
• apple skins (can be leftover from making apple sauce to go with)
• one onion

Preparation

1. Defrost the goose according to its instructions in a tray, removing the giblets bag from the interior if it’s there. Once defrosted, pull out any large clumps of fat in the neck cavity. (Render them in a small saucepan, strain, and save the goose fat.)
2. Preheat the oven to 220 C.
3. Place the bird on a rack in a roasting pan. Stuff with bay leaves, sage, apple skins, and onion, quartered. Season the skin with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove the rack to a temporary location, and pour off the fat from the pan into a bowl.
4. Lower the oven temperature to 180 C, and roast for another 90 minutes (you should no longer need the rack). Watch to see if you need to pour off more excess fat, though you shouldn’t.
5. The bird is cooked when juices run clear from the thigh.
6. When done, remove the bird to a carving board and let rest for 20 minutes, covered.
7. Serve with goose gravy.

Pigeon Cottage

Ingredients

• 2 c. duck stock or 3 c. of lighter stock, such as goose, pheasant, or grouse
• salt
• pepper
• 1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
• zest of one tangerine
• dash Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. bourbon (optional)
• corn starch
• 1 tbsp. butter

Preparation

Heat the stock with the next six ingredients (salt and pepper to taste, depending on stock). Reduce volume to around 1 cup. Thicken with corn starch, adding butter to finish.

Dad

Ingredients

• grouse
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• salt
• pepper

For the caper sauce:

• 1/4 c. vermouth or dry white wine
• 2 tbsp. capers, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp. butter

For the brandy sauce:

• 1/4 c. brandy or sherry
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 oz. mushrooms, minced
• 1 tbsp. butter

Preparation

Fillet off the breasts and legs of the grouse, making sure to separate the breast tender and remove its tendon. Sautee in the butter and olive oil, being careful not to overcook. For either sauce, add the requisite ingredients and cook to reduce the alcohol and blend flavors. Return grouse to sauce and serve.

Dad

Ingredients

• 9-12 lb. (4-5.5 kg) fresh goose
• 4 lemons
• 3 limes
• 1 tsp Chinese five-spice powder
• small handful each of parsley sprigs, thyme and sage, plus extra for garnishing
• a little olive oil, for browning, optional
• 3 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp thyme leaves

Serve with Red Wine & Date Sauce.

Preparation

Calculate the cooking time: Cook for 10 mins at 460 F/240 C/fan 220 C/gas 9, then reduce to 375 F/190 C/fan 170 C/gas 5 and cook for 20 mins per kg for medium-rare, 32 mins per kg for more well-done, plus 30 mins resting.

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 the 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 mins. Can be done up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated.

Heat oven to 460 F/240 C/fan 220 C/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 the honey and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Roast for the calculated time, turning the heat down after 10 mins to 375 F/190 C/fan 170 C/gas 5. Cover the goose with foil if it is starting to brown too much.

Every 30 mins 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 mins, covered loosely with foil. The bird will not go cold, but will be moist and much easier to carve.

Gordon Ramsay, BBC Good Food, December 2005

Ingredients

• 1 pheasant (or grouse, etc.)
• 3 oz. prosciutto, thinly sliced
• honey
• soy sauce
• butter
• spices (e.g., tarragon, oregano, basil) (optional)

Preparation

Prepare the pheasant, cutting into legs and (two) breast tenders. Wrap each piece completely with prosciutto, attaching with toothpicks. Make a baste by melting some butter, adding honey and a very slight amount of soy sauce. Some spices can be added to the baste if desired.

Over medium fire on a grill, cook the pieces almost all the way through, noting that the legs will take longer to cook than the breast pieces (should be around 10 minutes, max). On the last few turns, baste.