Bizarre, huh? But this is how I learned this dish, which originated with the mother of my sometime coauthor Jean-Georges Vongerichten. And it’s great: the wine adds fruitiness and the coffee bitterness and, of course, great color. No one will guess what’s in here. Unlike most goose preparations, this one can be stretched—with bread, side dishes, and salad—to serve six or even, in a pinch, eight.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Cut the goose into about 8 pieces, discarding the neck. (If you can get your butcher to do this for you, so much the better; the bones are tough and the joints not readily apparent. But you can hack right through with a heavy knife or cleaver.) Put the butter and oil in a large flameproof casserole that can later be covered and turn the heat to medium-high; wait a minute or so, until the butter melts into the oil. Add the goose, skin side down, season it with salt and pepper, and brown it well, rotating and turning the pieces as necessary, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the goose to a plate.
Step 2
Add the celery, onion, carrot, and thyme to the pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the wine bubbles and is slightly reduced. Return the goose to the pot, cover, and put in the oven. Cook, checking every now and then just to make sure the mixture is not drying out (it will not), for at least 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender and almost falling from the bone. (The dish may be prepared to this point and set aside for a few hours or refrigerated for up to a day, then reheated before proceeding.)
Step 3
Mix together the coffee and the cornstarch and stir into the sauce, cooking until it thickens slightly. Taste and adjust the seasoning, garnish, and serve.
