Roast Goose Leg with Red Cabbage

Variations

• Replace the potato dumplings with fresh spaetzle sautéed in butter.
• Add whole cooked chestnuts to the red cabbage during the last 20 minutes of simmering.
• Use duck legs if you can't find fresh goose legs outside the holiday season.
• Add a splash of red wine to the red cabbage at the start of simmering to deepen the sauce.
• Sprinkle the dumplings with breadcrumbs toasted in butter at serving time for extra crunch.
• Make a reduced sauce with lingonberries or cranberries for an extra tangy note.
• Flavor the side dish with a pinch of quatre-épices (four-spice blend) to bring out the Christmas flavors.
• Replace the red cabbage with sauerkraut cooked with white wine and juniper berries.
• Make bread dumplings (Semmelknödel) instead of potato dumplings.
• Add slices of tart apples sautéed in butter when plating.
• Use a rich vegetable broth if you don't have chicken broth.
• Marinate the goose legs the day before with coarse salt and herbs to tenderize the meat.
• Round out the plate with a spoonful of celeriac purée for a creamy touch.
• Replace the red wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar for a fruitier flavor.
• Add a few smoked bacon pieces browned with the onions in the braised red cabbage.
• Brush the goose skin with a light veil of honey at the end of cooking for an intense caramelization.
• Serve with a wild lingonberry compote on the side of the plate.
• Make the dumplings in miniature size for a more delicate presentation.
• Add half an onion studded with a clove directly in the goose roasting dish.
• Brown the cooked dumplings for a few minutes in a buttered skillet before serving.
• Replace the cornstarch with potato starch when shaping the balls.
• Sprinkle with freshly snipped chives in addition to the parsley for the final plating.
• Add a carrot cut into small dice to the bottom of the roasting dish to enrich the juices.
• Let a sprig of fresh thyme steep in the chicken broth before pouring it in.
• Use confit goose legs, reducing the oven time to 30 minutes at 200°C.
• Add pieces of firm pear to the braised cabbage to vary from the classic apple.
• Serve the skimmed juices in a warm gravy boat on the side so everyone can pour as they like.
• Add a pinch of ground cinnamon to the red cabbage to warm up the aromas.
• Make an individual version by serving a half leg for lighter meals.
• Sprinkle the dumplings with a few toasted hazelnut bits at serving time.
• Add caraway seeds to the red cabbage to make this winter dish easier to digest.
• Make a quick glaze with reduced orange juice on the goose skin before serving.
• Coarsely crush juniper berries to add along with the bay leaves.
• Offer a mild Alsatian mustard on the table as a condiment to go with the poultry.
• Use the leftover shredded meat to fill pies or ravioli the next day.
• Add a dash of lemon juice to the cabbage at the end of cooking to revive its tartness.
• Cook the onions longer until lightly colored for a sweeter flavor.
• Replace the granulated sugar with forest honey for braising the red cabbage.
• Prepare a bed of roasted root vegetables at the bottom of the dish under the poultry legs.
• Place a knob of parsley butter on each steaming dumpling at serving time.
• Season with ground white pepper to avoid visible little black specks in the dumplings.
• Wrap a small cube of toasted bread in the center of each dumpling, following Bavarian custom.
• Sprinkle with fresh chervil sprigs for a very fine herby finish on the plate.
• Carefully strain the cooking juices through a fine-mesh chinois for a glossy texture.
• Add a spoonful of redcurrant jelly to the red cabbage at the end of simmering.
• Make the dumplings with a mix of half cooked potatoes and half grated raw potatoes.
• Use melted goose fat taken from the dish to sauté the onion for the cabbage.
• Serve with a glass of Alsatian red wine or a light pinot noir.
• Grate the zest of an organic lemon into the dumpling mixture for freshness.
• Reheat the legs under the broiler for 3 minutes just before serving for perfect crispness.