The Road To Elle

Colonial Goose



'Colonial Goose is a New Zealand dish that probably came about because geese were hard to come by here, but lamb was plentiful. I once used this for catering a Playgroup dinner and had five legs of lamb boned. I served it with stuffed baked jacket potatoes, stuffed with a tomato, bacon and onion mix, topped with cheese.' - Elle's mum

4 1/2 lb leg of lamb

For stuffing:
1 oz butter
4 oz dried apricots
4 oz fresh breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon clear honey
2 oz onion, skinned and quartered
1/4 level teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 level teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For marinade:
1/2 lb carrots, peeled and sliced
6 oz onion, skinned and sliced
1 bay leaf
3 parsley stalks, crushed
1/4 pint red wine

Place the meat on a wooden board. Using a small, sharp knife, work the meat away from the bone, from the top of the leg down to the first joint. Now cut along the line of the bone from the opposite end of the leg, just enough to release the bone. Work the flesh away from the bone, being careful not to puncture the skin in any other place. Sever the bone from all the flesh and ligaments. Draw out the bone, working from the top of the leg.

Put the butter and honey in a small pan, melt over a low heat. Grate the onion and add to the breadcrumbs in a basin with the melted butter, honey, thyme and egg. Snip the apricots with scissors into the basin and season well. Bind all the stuffing ingredients together.

Wipe the lamb with a clean, damp cloth, trim off excess fat from the top of the leg and spoon the stuffing into the cavity from which the bone was removed. Force the stuffing well down into the leg with the back of the spoon. Sew up with a trussing needle and fine string. Do not sew too tightly or the skin may split while the meat is roasting.

Lift the meat into a polythene bag placed into a deep bowl. Add the marinade ingredients and leave in a cool place for 6 hours, turning the meat occasionally in the juices. Remove from the marinade and weigh the stuffed joint.

Roast at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 minutes per lb. If it starts to over-brown, cover with foil. Remove string before serving.

Recipe from Good Housekeeping Cooking for Today.