Keigan in the Kitchen: Christmas Special!!!!

Good Day to you one and all

Do I have a Frolicsome Festive feast for this joyous time of year to all you fellow marvellous patrons of Oldham Athletic. Christmas is a blissful time of the year, when dream come true and loved ones unite in harmony usually over a nice warm fire; at my cottage in the Dumfriesshire countryside I like to prepare an awe-inspiring meal. So this is how I prepare my meal of the day.

I’m not as enthusiastic about Turkey, I have been brought up to endeavour the finer things in life and Christmas is a good time to prepare my favourite meal Roast Goose compote de pommes. This dish shows a distinctly French approach to the extraneous parts of the goose. Prick the surface of the breast all over with a sharp fork and rub well with a little rough Salt and Pepper. You may allow this to be served ever so slightly pink, which is best achieved by roasting fast in a hot oven (220°C/Gas Mark 7) for about 50 minutes. Let it rest for 20 minutes before carving. The basis for your gravy is the stock in which the giblets and neck of the goose were cooked. After the initial cooking, this stock should be strained and refrigerated, so the fat, which will set on the top, can then easily be removed. Then warm up the stock and strain it through a cloth or muslin into a clean, heavy-based pan. Add one third as much red wine as there is stock and bring to the boil to reduce. The stronger the reduction, the less you need. I like to think in terms of about a tablespoon per person, and so reduce it until I have about 200ml. Do not season with salt or pepper until after the reduction is finished or it will become unpalatably salty as it reduces. This will make an intensely flavoured but quite thin jus to serve with the goose. If you like a thicker gravy, whisk a little beurre manié (soft butter mixed to a paste with a little plain flour) into the boiling juices until you get the thickness you require.

Peel, core and slice 3 large Bramleys and cook them with just a tablespoon of water, a small knob of butter and 1 tablespoon caster sugar until they disintegrate. Keep simmering gently for 10 minutes or so until you have a nice, thick apple purée. Sweeten to taste with a little more caster sugar if you like (we recommend you keep it tart to cut the fat of the goose).

Serving up the roast

We like to carve the roast at (or beside) the table, in the traditional manner. With two courses already despatched, a couple of thin slices of breast per person, a good drizzle of the very rich gravy, and a generous tablespoon of the apple sauce, along with your own selection of vegetables should keep everybody happy.

Libation
My Wine of choice for the festive time of year is the Bravante Merlot 2005.The mouthfeel shows off the luscious mountain fruit, while the silky tannins remind you of earth and chalk - typical Howell Mountain trademarks. The nose is intense, with aromas of blackberries, provincial herbs, and the usual hints of mushrooms, chalk and earth that our wines always turn up. The finish tracks the aromas and palate with the addition of just a hint of spicy oak - and cinnamon, and the wine is so firm and balanced, you only notice the oak as the gentle, "velvet glove" holding it all in place.

All in all I covet you all to have a remarkable Yuletide and to undertake one of my preferred and admired banquets at the juncture of the year.

Live life good

Keigan

xx