Add some flavour to your festive goose with an aromatic spice blend.

Ingredients

Serves 6

  • 1 whole goose (approx 4kg) giblets removed
  • A large sprig of thyme
  • 2 tbs mixed spice
  • 1 tbs Chinese five spice
  • 1 tbs salt

For the parsnips with smoked bacon, cinnamon and ginger ale

  • 1 kg parsnips
  • 150 ml ginger ale
  • 150 ml chicken stock
  • 2 sticks of cinnamon
  • 125g packed smoked lardons
  • 80g butter, diced
  • Some fresh thyme
  • Salt and black pepper

For the Brussels sprout and apple champ:

  • 400g Brussel sprouts
  • 1.5 kg peeled potatoes
  • 250 ml milk
  • 100 ml cream
  • 100 g butter
  • Salt and white pepper
  • A pinch of nutmeg (optional)
  • 1 gala apple (peeled and finely diced)

For the spiced goose syrup:

  • 300 ml red wine
  • 2 tbs redcurrant jelly
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 2 cloves

Method

For the goose:

  1. Set the oven to 170 degrees Trim the fat from the cavity of the Goose and lightly score the fat ice 1 cm apart. Stuff the bird with the thyme, mix the spices and the salt together and rub them well into the skin.
  2. Sit the Goose on a rack on a deep roasting tray. Roast for 2 hours then turn up the heat to 190deg and cook for a further 20 minutes until crisp and golden.
  3. Cover with foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes before serving.

For the parsnips:

  1. Set the oven to 185C. Take the root off the parsnips, peel and cut them into quarters lengthways.
  2. Put them in a roasting dish with all the remaining ingredients. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes then remove the foil.
  3. Turn in the juices and then put back in the oven for a further 15 minutes until the parsnips get sticky. Keep warm until needed.

For the Brussels sprouts and apple champ:

  1. Trim the sprouts then cut them in half if they are small and into quarters if they are large.
  2. Put a medium pot of lightly salted water to boil then cook the sprouts for 2-3 minutes until they start to soften, drain then refresh under cold water. Remove any excess water then set aside (this can be done in advance).
  3. Cut the potatoes into even pieces then put on to boil. When cooked, drain and mash.
  4. Heat the milk and cream then add to the potatoes along with the butter, salt and pepper and nutmeg.
  5. When ready to serve, add the sprouts and apple to the potatoes, then warm everything together over a low heat until the sprouts are hot. Serve immediately.

For the spiced goose syrup:

  1. Reduce everything by two-thirds until you have a thin syrup.
  2. Cool and keep in the fridge.