Garlic-Stuffed Roast Goose

This has been one of our Christmas favorites. Garlic permeates the goose, especially if you stuff it a day ahead and refrigerate the bird until shortly before roasting. The garlic is discarded before serving.

Try this with Paula Wolfert's glazed carrots, half-boiled potatoes browned in goose drippings, a big green salad and a full-bodied Champagne. For red wine lovers, have a Rhone or Zinfandel on the table.

Ingredients

• 10- to 14-pound goose

• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper

• 1/4 cup cider vinegar

• 3/4 pound organic garlic (about 6 large heads), rinsed, trimmed of roots, but not peeled

• 2 tart apples, chopped

• 1 to 2 cups dry white wine

Sauce:

• Goose neck and giblets

• 1 medium carrot, peeled and chopped

• 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped

• 1 medium stalk celery with leaves, chopped

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar

• Water

• 1 tablespoon flour

• 1/3 cup dry Madeira

• Salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Defrost goose in refrigerator (2 to 3 days) or in a sink full of ice-cold water (8 to 12 hours).

2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Rinse goose under cold running water. Remove fat, giblets, and neck from cavity (put neck and giblets in a 4- to 6-quart saucepan). Dry goose inside and out. Prick skin all over with a fork. Season with salt and pepper inside and out and then rub with the vinegar. Stuff with garlic and apples.

3. Place breast up in a roasting pan on rack and put a little water in pan. Cover lightly with foil. Roast for about three hours, draining fat from pan as necessary.

4. Remove foil and pour wine over bird. Prick skin again with a fork over entire breast and leg area. Continue roasting 45 minutes to an hour, or until browned, basting occasionally with pan juices. To tell if goose is done insert an instant reading thermometer in the thigh. It should read 160° to 170°. Set goose on a serving platter and keep warm. Skim fat from pan juices.

5. To Make Sauce: As soon as goose goes into the oven, combine neck, giblets, wine, vinegar, and vegetables in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover. Simmer, partially covered, 3 hours. Strain then boil down over high heat by two-thirds. In a small bowl, gradually whisk 1/2 cup of this stock into the flour until smooth.

6. Once the goose is out of the pan, place roasting pan over high heat. Skim fat from pan juices. Add stock and bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spatula to scrape up any brown bits. When rich tasting, whisk in flour mixture and Madeira. Continue boiling and stirring about 4 minutes, or until there is no raw flour taste and sauce is thick enough to lightly coat spoon. Season to taste.

7. Discard the bird's stuffing. Present goose on a large platter, breast side up, flanked with small apples or grapes. Carve breast meat in thin slices, then thigh and finally leg. Pass the sauce and vegetables.