Roast Goose with Sour Cherry Sauce

Ingredients:

1 oven-ready goose (between 4 and 5kg)
1 onion, peeled and quartered
1 carrot, scraped and sliced
1 celery stick, sliced
2 bayleaves
2 large sprigs of thyme
1 tbsp olive oil
4 shallots, peeled and chopped
240g baby spinach (or sorrel)
680g jar of Morello cherries, drained, pitted and roughly chopped (reserve the juice)
2 tbsp soft brown sugar
90ml dry white wine
1 tbsp (level) plain flour
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
watercress and fresh cherries (if available), to garnish
salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Method:

Use a sharp knife to prick the skin of the goose all over. Pull any fat from the body cavity of the bird and reserve. Season inside and out with salt and freshly-ground black pepper then place the onion, carrot, celery, bayleaves and thyme in the body cavity. Truss with string then weight the bird. Place on a trivet in a roasting tin, cover with foil then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200°C and roast for 15 minutes per 450g plus and extra 20 minutes. Baste frequently with the pan juices to keep the bird moist. Remove the foil to allow the bird skin to brown for the final 20 minutes of cooking.

In the meantime, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the shallots and fry for about 5 minutes, or until soft. Rinse the spinach (or sorrel), drain and chop roughly. Add to the pan with the shallots and cook for 2 minutes. Add the sugar, white wine and 300ml of the reserved cherry juice into the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes.

Take off the heat and allow to cool slightly then purée in a blender or food processor, until smooth. Return the mixture to the pan then mix the butter with the plain flour to form a smooth paste. Bring the sauce to a boil then add the butter and flour pasta, a little at a time, whisking thoroughly to combine. Now add the cherries and balsamic vinegar. Adjust the seasonings to taste then set the sauce aside to keep warm.

When the goose is done, transfer to a warmed serving plate, garnish with watercress and fresh cherries then serve, accompanied by the cherry sauce.