Wild Goose Breast on Smashed Potatoes and Peas with Bacon and Mushroom Sauce

This holiday-ish, decadent meal is luscious, easy to prepare, and versatile. While I’m working on learning about Icelandic cooking and using wild young goose breast, you could use domestic goose or duck breast (remove fat cap), a turkey breast (hello, leftovers), or even chicken breasts or pork tenderloin. All of them are easier to come by and just as lovely though the cooking time would be somewhat different depending on your choice of protein. Large goose breasts could stretch this recipe to 3 or 4 servings as needed. If you’ve a Trader Joe nearby (or a farmer friend in the spring), they often have fresh peas in their produce department. Otherwise, frozen peas (I like the petite variety) are just fine here. Diced asparagus would also work. (I added some cooked asparagus to my spinach in the photos.) Make the smashed potatoes and peas first (or a day ahead/refrigerate overnight) cover it, and warm it up when the goose is nearly done or resting. It’s a tasty side for a variety of grilled or roasted meats, fish, or poultry and keeps well. The goose recipe is adapted from a recipe by Nanna Rögnvaldardóttir with great thanks and admiration. I began making smashed potatoes and peas—recipe in cook’s notes-- from an old Tyler Florence recipe in the wondrous book TYLER’S ULTIMATE (do buy it!) and it’s changed over the years. There are many variations – mostly from the UK or Ireland. Make the one you like.

serves 2 hungry people perhaps with some leftover goose for sandwiches or salad

Ingredients

2 wild goose breasts
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
8 pieces thick bacon--4 left whole for the goose and 4 diced for the sauce
4 ounces (110 grams) button mushrooms, sliced
2 large fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
Crushed red pepper
¼ cup (2-ounces/50 ml) brandy
1 cup (8 oz/200 ml) goose or chicken stock
½ cup (4 oz/100 ml) whole or whipping cream
1 tablespoon softened salted butter (The butter and flour below are for a beurre manié to thicken the sauce/see notes* below)
1 ½ tablespoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
Smashed potatoes and peas (recipe in notes below)
Currant jam in a bowl for serving at the table. (Can sub Cherry or Plum Jam.)

Instructions

PREP AND COOK THE GOOSE BREASTS: Preheat the oven to 300 ° F. Set rack at center. Sprinkle goose breasts all over lightly with salt and pepper and wrap each in two pieces of bacon, securing with four toothpicks on each breast. (Remember how many toothpicks you used!) Heat a large oven-proof skillet over high flame and add breasts to dry pan. Brown well on both sides. Place in oven for 20-25 minutes or until instant read thermometer reads about 160 °F. Remove to cutting board. Let rest for 2-3 minutes. Reserve drippings on cutting board (if you have some) and drizzle on goose while plating. Remove toothpicks. Slice thinly. Cover and place on stovetop to keep warm if sauce isn’t done yet. (Warm plates/shallow bowls in oven as possible.)
MEANWHILE, MAKE THE BACON-MUSHROOM SAUCE: In a large skillet over medium flame, cook the diced bacon with the mushrooms and thyme sprigs until the bacon is crisp and the mushrooms tender. Stir in the shallot, garlic, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Pour in the brandy and simmer until the brandy is reduced by half. Pour in the stock and cream. With a table fork, mash the butter and the flour. Sprinkle into the sauce and heat gently, stirring a time or two, until thickened. Remove thyme sprigs. Taste and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. If goose is not yet done, cover to keep warm or reheat gently when needed. When seasoning this sauce, remember it will go over a larger amount of food it will need to flavor; you may want to increase the salt and pepper a bit extra to compensate just as you would for gravy and mashed potatoes. Or try a sample and see what you think. You can also pass the salt and pepper at the table if needed.
PLATE AND SERVE HOT or warm: Add a cup of spinach leaves in a circle or at edge to each plate. Sprinkle very lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon smashed potatoes and peas into the center. Fan sliced goose breast over the potato mixture (add drippings if you have some) and ladle the bacon-mushroom sauce over the goose and bacon. Serve with currant jam at the table.

Notes

SMASHED POTATOES AND PEAS

• 1-pound (16 oz) small, new red potatoes

• Salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper

• ½-pound (8 oz) new green peas (or frozen)

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided (or more as needed)

• 1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced into ½ -inch thick pieces

• 1 shallot, finely chopped

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• Zest of half a lemon

• 1 tablespoon EACH: chopped fresh mint, parsley, and chives (or to taste)

ADD THE POTATOES TO A 4 OR 6-QT POT, cover them with water plus an inch or two, and add a teaspoon of kosher salt, half-teaspoon of pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook uncovered until nearly tender—about 20 minutes. Add the peas (fresh or frozen) for the last few minutes. With a slotted spoon, skim off the peas into a cup. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot, stir in a tablespoon of olive oil, and mash briefly. Add the peas back in, cover, and set aside.
MEANWHILE, HEAT THE OTHER TABLESPOON OLIVE OIL IN A MEDIUM SKILLET over medium flame and add the onion. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, stirring regularly until nearly soft – 8-10 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring, for another 2 or 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest.
TIP THE ONION MIXTURE INTO THE POT WITH THE POTATOES AND PEAS and stir briefly. Stir the herbs in gently. Taste and adjust seasonings. Cover to keep warm while goose breasts rest or cool and reheat when needed. (Can cover and refrigerate overnight. Keeps well.)

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*BUERRE MANIE: a French term for equal amounts softened butter and flour cut together with a fork that is used to thicken a sauce, stew, etc.

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