“Many people believe that as a symbol of Canada, the Canada goose is protected from hunting and eating. In fact it can be hunted, and this majestic goose is actually considered a nuisance bird, with its population on the rise unaffected by urban sprawl and human interference.” explains Michael Hunter, author of The Hunter Chef: Hunt, Fish, and Forage in Over 100 Recipes, 2021 Silver winning cookbook. “They are incredibly resilient birds, and in the wild their life expectancy can reach upward of twenty years. Keep in mind that a twenty-four-year-old wild gander won’t be as tender as a younger farm-raised fowl, so proper care is required when preparing them in the kitchen. Canada goose breast meat is delicious when slow-roasted and served medium-rare, the legs are perfect for confit or braised dishes, and the large carcass is great for making stock.
In this recipe the goose is served two ways—roasted and braised. Cassoulet is a wonderfully rich and flavourful way to cook beans. Dry beans must be used as canned will become overcooked and mushy. Homemade stock is also the secret ingredient as store-bought stock does not have the same flavour and natural gelatin. The slow cooking process allows the beans to soak up all of the flavour of the stock and bacon, creating a beautiful, decadent flavour.”
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ROAST CANADA GOOSE BREAST AND CASSOULET
Ingredients
- 3 cups (750 mL) dried white kidney beans
- 1/4 cup (60 mL + 1 tablespoon (15 mL)) unsalted butter, divided
- 1/2 lb (225 g) Wild Boar Bacon or store-bought
- 1 cup (250 mL) diced onion
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) diced carrot
- 1/2 cup (125 mL) diced celery
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 cup (250 mL) dry white wine
- 8 cups (2 L) light game or chicken stock, divided
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) kosher salt, divided
- 2 teaspoons (10 mL) freshly cracked black pepper, divided
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 confit goose legs
- 2 boneless Canada goose breasts 10 to 12 ounces/280 to 340 g each
- 1 tablespoon (15 mL) grapeseed oil or vegetable oil, for searing
SAUSAGE GRAVY
- 1/2 lb (225 g) breakfast sausages, casings removed
- 1/s tsp (2 mL) kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 mL) all- purpose flour
- 2 cups (500 mL) whole milk
Instructions
- Place the kidney beans in a bowl, cover with water, and soak overnight at room temperature. The next day, drain well.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- In a large pot, melt 1⁄4 cup (60 mL) of the butter over medium heat. Add the boar bacon and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic, stir to combine, and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the drained kidney beans, white wine, 4 cups (1 L) of the game stock, 1 teaspoons (5 mL) of the salt, 1 teaspoon (5 mL) of the pepper, thyme, bay leaves, and the confit goose legs. Bring to a simmer.
- Cover with a lid, transfer to the oven, and cook for 11⁄2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally and checking to see if the stock has all been absorbed, topping up with more stock as necessary. The beans should be plump and tender, with some liquid in the pot but it shouldn’t be soupy. Discard the bay leaves and thyme stems before serving.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 325°F (160°C).
- Season the goose breasts with the remaining 1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt and 1 teaspoon (5 mL) pepper. In a large skillet, heat the grapeseed oil and the remaining 1 tablespoon (15 mL) butter over medium-high heat.
- Add the goose breasts skin side down and sear, turning once, until brown on both sides. Transfer to the oven and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, to an internal temperature of 125°F (50°C) for medium-rare or 135°F (57°C) for medium doneness. Let the meat rest for 5 to 8 minutes before serving.
- Thinly slice the breast meat and serve on top of the cassoulet.
Make the Sausage Gravy
- Break up the sausage meat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and cook until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the salt, then sprinkle the flour over the sausage to soak up the fat. Stir with a wooden spoon, making sure there are no lumps of flour. Stir in the milk, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the gravy is thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
Notes
Excerpted from The Hunter Chef: Hunt, Fish, and Forage in Over 100 Recipes by Michael Hunter. Copyright © 2020 Michael Hunter. Photographs © 2020 by Jody Shapiro and Michael Hunter. Published by Penguin Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.