Sonnie! Recipe Help!

[Rob Z]

Hey Chef Sonnie!

I have some primo goose breasts in the freezer. How about a recipe :deal: so I can do something tasty with them?

While you're at it, how about something for duck? It's gonna be a waterfowl Christmas dinner :drool2: at the Z house.

Thanks! :)

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[Cami A]

Waterfowl...Christmas dinner...What do you think about a cassoulet?

[flatfloor]

What did you do, drive into a pond? :D

[davem]

:D

[Cami A]

Rob's new worktruck...


http://www.colorado-hummer.org/images/cw-water4.jpg

[tomtuttle]

Rob, "duck duck goose" is a children's game, not a menu :D:D:D

Makes me think of those Terduckens they sell around the holidays. Anybody ever cook one of those?

Wish I could help. We eat good, but I've no experience to share on wild fowl.

[Rob Z]

None of you are any help! :mad: Where's Sonnie! :bow:

Cami, what is a "cassoulet"?

[MikeC]

Here's a link to at least 15 recipes on how to cook yer goose.:)

http://www.foodnetwork.com/foodtv/searchResults/1,6281,,00.html?keyword=goose&searchType=recipe

and another for yer Daffy Duck.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/foodtv/searchResults/1,6281,,00.html?keyword=duck&searchType=recipe

[Cami A]

I thought I wasn't of any help...;):D;)

Cassoulet is a French "peasant" stew, which has white beans, duck(or goose), and garlic sausage, among lots of other items, including duck confit.

Maybe we should just start with duck confit...

From Fine Cooking #48

1 duck, about 4 1/2 lbs
4 tsp coarse salt
2 bay leaves, broken into pieces
5 springs fresh thyme
3 lg cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
About 1 1/2 cups lard or additional duck fat

Prepare the Duck

Cut the legs (include the thighs) from the duck and cut away each half breast. Trim any excess fat and skin from the legs (but leave the skin on the legs) and save for rendering. Gently but firmly pull the skin from the breast meat beginning at an edge.

Set the skin aside and put the breasts and legs into a baking dish. Sprinkle liberally with salt. Put the bay leaves, thyme and garlic cloves among the pieces, civer with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Render the Fat

Trim all the fat and skin from the carcass. Put the fat and skin (including what was left on the carcass and what you already trimmed) into a small, heavy saucepan over low heat. Cook, partially covered, at a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent the skin from sticking.

After about 1 1/2 hours, the skin will be deep golden brown and crisp, meaning it has rendered almost all of its fat. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool slightly. Strain the fat into a container, seal and refridgerate it until ready to use.

(Did your grandmother ever talk about eating "cracklin's"? That's the crispy bits of skin that are left from rendering fat from duck, pig, etc. Don't throw 'em away- you have to try them. Tasty little heart attack...)

Cook the Duck

In a heavy 1 1/2 qt saucepan, melt 2 1/2 cups rendered duck fat (and lard, if needed to get the 2 1/2 cups of fat) over low heat. Blot the duck pieces with paper towels to remove excess salt and dry them. Put the duck in the pan, along with the garlic, thyme and bay leaves that were in with the duck. Arrange the pieces so they're all covered in fat- add more lard if you need to.

Cook, uncovered, at a very gentle simmer, between 185 and 195*, for two hours. Don't stir and never let it boil. After two hours, the duck will be very tender and come easily off the bone. Lift the duck from the fat using tongs and either use immediately or cool and store, covered, in the fridge for up to a week.

Ok, I know that sounds like a lot of work, but most of the time you can ignore what's cooking if you remember to set the timer.

Now, you can use the confit in a salad, risotto, or the cassoulet, or a stew or you can eat it hot while standing over the sink and guarding it from other hungry scavengers....

No reason you can't confit the goose, either. It's just a method of preparing fowl. It would take a bigger saucepan and a bit more lard, though...;)

[flatfloor]

Saw this in today's paper. Recipe by a chef in a very up scale NYC restaurant (no Rob, not Sparks :))

Roasted Goose With Sauteed Potatoes and Frisee Salad

The goose:

1 (10- to 12-pound) goose

2 gallons chicken stock or water

Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

For potatoes:

8 large Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 pounds)

3 tablespoons duck fat or vegetable oil

Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

For salad:

3 tablespoons olive oil or more as necessary

2 cups bread cubes (about 1/2 inch; use any firm white bread, such as a French baguette)

1 tablespoon chopped garlic, divided

Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar

2 tablespoons minced onion

1/3 cup canola oil

2 medium-size heads frisee (or 3/4 pounds of dandelion greens, thoroughly washed to remove sand)

Dijon mustard, for serving

1. Place goose in a large pot and cover with chicken stock. Bring to a boil, skimming foam as it rises to the top, then lower heat to a simmer. Season broth with salt and pepper to taste. Poach goose until tender, about 2 hours. Transfer goose to a platter. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3. Place goose on a rack in a large roasting pan. Roast until skin is crispy, about 1 hour. If necessary, turn on broiler to crisp the skin for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove goose from oven and let rest at least 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, peel and halve potatoes. Cut each half into 6 wedges. Melt duck fat in a large, nonstick saute pan over medium heat and add potatoes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are crisp on outside and tender inside, about 25 minutes. Set pan aside.

5. For salad, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add bread cubes and toast lightly. Add 1 teaspoon of the chopped garlic and toss to combine. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper.

6. In a small bowl, combine Dijon, sherry vinegar and onion and whisk to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, then the canola oil. Set aside.

7. When ready to serve, reheat potatoes over medium heat, tossing until crisp. Add butter, parsley and garlic and toss to combine. Adjust salt and pepper. Toss frisee or dandelion greens, croutons and remaining garlic in a bowl. Drizzle enough vinaigrette over the salad to coat and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning.

8. Carve goose and slice breast meat and leg meat. Place 3 slices of breast meat and 2 slices of leg meat at the bottom of each plate. Mound the salad at the 10 o'clock position on each plate and place potatoes at 2 o'clock. Serve immediately. Pass Dijon mustard at the table, for the goose. Makes 8 servings.



I have no idea what frisee is.

[Cami A]

http://www.nbbd.com/photos/Animals1/rabbitSm.jpg


I'm pretty sure that's what this little guy is eating. :D:D:D

[Sonnie Layne]

Rob, are these wild geese? Do you know what kind?

How thick are the breasts?

Whole duck? Wild or raised?

I like cami's idea of the cassoulet as a side for the goose breast, depending on the answers above and if you have enough goose breast to make your entree. I just love peasant foods.

Also, how do you prefer to cook? Grilling would be a possibility with the breasts, but it may be too darned cold over there.

Get back w/me.

these other recipes sound great.

[Rob Z]

Thanks Mike, Flatfloor and Cami for the ideas.

Sonnie, these geese are wild, taken over near the Chesapeake Bay. The breasts are 1" thick up to 1 1/2" thick.

The ducks are whole, farm raised.

This is gonna be good. :drool2: I wish all of you could stop by for dinner. ;)

[flatfloor]

Don't tell Jana the duck's name is Donald. :D

[tileguytodd]

Ok Rob, Here goes

Take 1 wild goose. Cut in half and lay on a good hardwood Plank. Inject with herbed butter. Slow bake on the board in a 275 degree oven for 4 hours.Remove from oven.Slice board into equal serving pieces and serve with a side of shims.
Feed the goose to the neighbors dog. You Asked!! :D

[flatfloor]

What, no wild rice? :D

Todd, that's sorta like a wild duck recipe boil the duck in a large kettle with a brick for 2 hours. Remove both, throw out the duck and eat the brick.:rolleyes:

[tileguytodd]

I just checked the price for hand harvested Rice. 6.37 per pound. Not sure how much of the stuff i can afford anymore :(

[Sonnie Layne]

You wouldn't have enough if we all stopped by :)

Tryin' to fit the whole jalapee into the Soup du' Cami. It wont be a problem, with the weather being what it is, I'm thinking a smothered goose breast kinda thingy... perhaps with asparagus vinagrette or so??? Just don't tell the kids what it is... you'll go fine.


I'll write later, the neighbor lady needs some help with a smoke alarm..