Baeckeoffa

A hearty stew for dinner on a cold Saturday evening.  This dish is very popular in Alsace, France and it is usually cooked with pork meat.  This time, I added goose meat along with cabbage, carrots, potatoes, onions, marjoram, parsley, thyme & bay leaf.  I used a traditional Baeckeoffa casserole which can be served directly on the dining table.   Otherwise, one can use a normal casserole with a lid. Tastes great when eaten with a crusty baguette.

Ingredients (serves 4):
2 goose legs (about 950 g)
40 g ghee or Butterschmalz
650 g potatoes, to be peeled and soaked in cold water
a bunch of flat parsley, to be washed, dried & plucked
a bunch of marjoram, to be washed, dried & plucked
200 ml chicken or poultry fond
300 ml Alsatian Silvaner or any non-alcoholic cooking white wine
300 g big onions, to be peeled & cut into wedges
500 g big carrots, to be peeled, halved & cut into 5 cm pieces
800 g cabbage, to be cut into strips (trunk removed), washed & drip dry
1/2 bunch of thyme, to be washed & dried
1 tiny bay leaf

250 g plain flour
2 tbsp cooking oil
125 ml water

Method:
Wash and dry goose legs.  Remove fat and skin - these are to be cooked in a saucepan over medium heat in order to extract the goose fat.  Remove meat from bones and cut into about 5 cm cubes. Leave aside.

Prepare onions, carrots and cabbage as shown.

Grease the base of casserole with 10 g ghee.  Thinly slice potatoes and arrange on the base of casserole in two layers:  sprinkle salt, pepper, parsley and marjoram on each layer.  Then, add poultry fond.

Heat 2 tbsp of goose fat in a big pan over medium heat and add goose meat.  Brown on all sides and season with salt & pepper, followed by 100 ml Silvaner.  Let it simmer lightly before adding to the casserole.

Wipe pan clean with kitchen paper.  Heat 10 g ghee over medium heat and add onion wedges. Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Then, season with salt and a good pinch of sugar, followed with 50 ml of Silvaner.  Let it simmer lightly before adding to the casserole.

Wipe pan clean with kitchen paper.  Heat 10 g ghee over medium heat and add carrots.  Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Then, season with salt and a good pinch of sugar, followed with 150 ml of Silvaner. Let it simmer lightly before adding to the casserole.

Wipe pan clean with kitchen paper.  Heat 10 g ghee over medium heat and add cabbage.  Stir-fry for about 2 minutes.  Then, season with salt and a pinch of sugar. Then, add to casserole and place the bunch of thyme with the bay leaf attached.

In a mixing bowl, knead flour, cooking oil and water together to form a pliable dough. Roll dough into a long roll, enough to line the lid of the casserole.  Position dough between the casserole and its lid as shown.  Press dough lightly.

Bake in a preheated slow fan oven at a temperature of 140° C for about two and three quarter hours.

Remove thyme and bay leaf before serving it hot with a crusty baguette.

Bon Appetit!