A goose, when roasted, liberates a huge amount of fat (so much so that you need to pour it off up to three times over the roasting period) Cooled goose fat is a wonderful, yellowy colour but with a softer texture than lard and can keep in the refrigerator for several months.
A Simple Snack:
• Diced bacon (I use pancetta but any bacon style should work) • Goose fat (ideally twice the volume of goose fat to bacon pieces) • Brown bread (toasted or untoasted - either is awesome)
Add the goose fat to a frying pan and heat till molten and clear. Add bacon pieces and fry till bacon is crispy but not charred. Pour mixture into bowl and leave till cooled Once cooled then spread onto bread slices and enjoy!
This is definitely a recipe for those colder days. Some recipes leave the bacon out but I prefer something to get my teeth into. You should not need to add any salt to this as the bacon should contain enough salt but a scattering of ground black pepper would add a good finish to it.
According to Mary Enig, lipid scientist and author of Know Your Fats, goose fat contains 35 percent saturated fat, 52 percent mono-unsaturated fats and about 13 percent polyunsaturated and so should be classified as a mono-unsaturated fat. Food historian Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat's History of Food has this lovely statement:
"In the South of France, goose fat is as important as butter in Normandy or olive oil in Provence. It is more than just a cooking fat; it is an article of faith."
And I don't think I could agree more!
So many people think that goose and goose fat are specifically winter foodstuffs but this following recipe for Roasted Rosemary Potatoes is just brilliant throughout the year.
Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
• 2 1/2 lbs (1kg) potatoes (I use Desiree but any floury style will do) • 3 - 4 tablespoons of goose fat • 2 tablespoons dried rosemary • Salt to taste
Cut potatoes into quarters and parboil until almost tender Drain into a sieve/colander and shake until the water is drained and the surfaces of the potatoes are roughened. Heat the goose fat either in a hot oven (200 degrees C) or in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. Add potatoes and turn carefully in the goose fat (Beware of hot fat!) Sprinkle rosemary over the potatoes. Return to heat and let cook until first side is golden brown. Turn several times until potatoes are cooked on all sides (be prepared to add more goose fat).
The final recipe is one I have only just discovered and in my opinion it is just the best dish I've come across. The original recipe calls for the haricot beans to be soaked, drained, cooked till tender then re-drained but to save time I used haricot beans cooked in goose fat (just gives it that added unctuousness!)
Boston Baked Beans
12 oz. (350 g) haricot beans 1 large onion 1 tablespoon oil 1 teaspoon dry mustard 2 teaspoons black treacle 1/4 pint (150 ml) tomato juice (or the liquid from a can of tomatoes) 2 tablespoons tomato puree 2 teaspoons brown sugar 1/2 pint (275 ml) unsalted stock
Set the oven to 275 F (140 C), mark 1. Peel and slice the onion. Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole and fry the onion for about 5 minutes, then add the rest of the ingredients and bring the mixture up to the boil. Cover the casserole and put it into the oven; cook for about 4 hours, stirring occasionally.
Dominic Valentine is the new Business manager for Dordogne Direct Ltd. Please visit our website at http://www.dddirect.co.uk for more details and contact information.
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