Serve these grilled goose breasts with chestnut stuffing and a vegetable of your choice. (Photo courtesy of Jacques Haeringer)
November 19, 2021
By Jacques Haeringer
Print Recipe
Serves: 8-10 Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 2 hours
Chestnut Stuffing Ingredients:
1 pound fresh chestnuts 4 tablespoons vegetable oil ½ pound pork shoulder, cubed ½ pound veal, cubed ½ pound pork belly, cubed 1 cup chopped onion 1 cup dried bread ½ cup milk 3 eggs, beaten 2 teaspoons sea salt ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg ½ teaspoon minced garlic
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Goose Ingredients:
4 wild goose breasts 2 tablespoons oil Sea salt Freshly ground pepper
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Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. With a small, sharp knife, incise an X through the outside shell of each chestnut. Put chestnuts in shallow baking pan and place in oven for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. When cool, remove the outer shell and peel off the inside skin. The peeling process becomes more difficult as the chestnuts cool, so it may be necessary to reheat some of them. There will be approximately three cups (canned or frozen chestnuts may be substituted). Reduce the oven temp to 400 degrees. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat and sauté half of the cubed meat (pork shoulder, veal, and pork belly). When the meat is lightly browned, add half the onions, and continue cooking several minutes. Transfer meat and onions to a baking pan and cool. Repeat with the remaining cubed meat and onions (two pounds of sausage can be substituted for the cubed meat). Soak the bread in the milk, adding more milk if necessary to completely moisten. Wring out the bread with your hands, discarding the milk. Using a fine disc, grind the cooled cubed meat, onions, and bread into a mixing bowl. Add all the remaining stuffing ingredients, except the chestnuts. Sauté a small patty of stuffing and taste for seasoning, adjusting if necessary. Mix in the thoroughly drained chestnuts. Place the chestnut stuffing in a buttered oven-proof casserole, or a loaf pan and cover with foil. Set the casserole into a small roasting pan two-thirds filled with water. Bring to a boil and transfer to the preheated oven. Bake for one to two hours, reducing the temperature if the water boils rapidly. The internal temperature of the stuffing should reach 160 degrees on a meat thermometer. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the goose. Now, on to the goose. Coat goose breasts with oil and season with salt and freshly ground pepper. On a hot grill, place breasts skin side down. Depending on the size of the goose breasts, for medium-rare, grill for two to three minutes, turn the breasts and cook for another two to three minutes. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for five minutes. Warm serving plates in a 200-degree oven. Slice goose breasts on the diagonal and place one breast on each warmed plate. Serve goose with the chestnut stuffing and your favorite fall garden vegetables. About the Author: Chef Jacques Haeringer Chef Jacques is a hunter, wild game culinary expert, and frequent "Today Show" guest. Visit his site for more on his books, classes, and renowned restaurants, L'Auberge Chez Francois and Jacques' Brasserie.
