Downeast Maine Christmas Goose a la Sainte Menehould

Here's a roasted goose, stuffed with fresh lavender and French thyme sprigs. We're going to apply beaten up, raw egg yolk, then spray it with organic, brown rice flour at the last 20 minutes of roasting, after the goose is finished cooking. This will crisp the skin.

Ingredients:

1 qty 12-pound goose, fresh, organic, pre-brined 5 days, refrigerated, in World Market's turkey brining solution.

Add to it:

5 cups Louis Jadot unoaked chardonnay

3 cups organic Herbes de Provence, finely-ground

2 cups organic thyme, French, dried, finely-ground

3 organic bay leaves, dried

Drain and roast the pre-brined goose in a roasting pan with a rack. Roast at center rack, for 30 minutes, preheated to 400°F.

Next, whisk together for the roasting marinade:

5 cups Louis Jadot unoaked chardonnay

4 tsp sea salt, organic, French, finely-ground

4 TBL organic black pepper, finely-ground

12 fresh shallots, organic, cleaned, finely-minced

4 TBL organic Vidalia onion powder, unsalted

4 TBL organic garlic powder, unsalted

1 cup organic Herbes de Provence, unsalted,  finely-ground

1 cup organic French thyme, unsalted, dried, finely-ground

3 organic bay leaves, dried

4 cups organic butter, unsalted, melted

Pour this over the goose in the roasting pan. Then cover it and roast it at 325°F, covered, center rack, for 3 hours. It should be basted every 30 minutes.

After 3 hours, uncover the goose. Check it with a meat thermometer. Once done cooking, apply a thick, blended layer of:

4 cups of raw, organic, Irish-buttered, heritage egg yolks, beaten up

3 cups organic butter, unsalted, melted

Then, spray the goose all over with organic brown rice flour (check for this in the baking section of the organic grocery stores).

Stuff the inside of the goose with 4 cups of organic, fresh lavender sprigs, and 4 cups of fresh, organic, French thyme sprigs.

Return the goose to the oven, at 400°F, center rack, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

Arrange goose on a platter, with a 4-inch ring of butter-braised, organic fennel bulb slices, organic, julienned-cut, fresh, black truffles, and fresh, organic, cleaned, sage leaves.