There was something about the recipe submitted by Delta Waterfowl member Ralph Nestor of Cashton, Wisconsin that got our attention. Perhaps it was the name: “Teriyaki Goose Spring Rolls with Ancho Chili and Red Currant Jelly Dipping Sauce”.

You don’t have to be Sherlock Holmes to recognize this guy knows his way around a kitchen (you can’t sneak anything past this crew). As it turns out our suspicion was correct. Ralph, who’s been retired since 1993, spent most of his career as a teacher and consultant in the food and hospitality business. He still does some writing and consulting. And it’s very easy to prepare.

For the Marinade, combine in a mixing bowl:

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
Pour the marinade into a large Ziploc bag and add two snow goose or one large Canada goose breasts. Refrigerate eight hours or overnight, turning once or twice.

For the Spring Rolls, remove the breasts, reserving the marinade. Cook the breasts in a large skillet with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Cool and shred the meat.

Combine in a large bowl and mix well:

The shredded meat
1 14-ounce can of bean sprouts, drained and chopped
1/2 cup shredded green cabbage
1/2 cup finely diced green onions, whites and tops
1/2 cup chopped bamboo shoots
1/2 green pepper, diced fine
2 tablespoons of the marinade
Place 3 heaping tablespoons of the mix into a spring roll (*) and fold according to the directions of the wrapper, sealing the edges with a beaten egg.

In a large skillet, heat 1 to 2 cups of vegetable oil to 350 degrees and fry the rolls until browned on both sides (2 or 3 minutes per side). Cut rolls in half diagonally, place on shredded cabbage and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Serve with dipping sauce.

For the Dipping Sauce, combine in a saucepan:

1 12-ounce jar of red currant jelly
8 ounces of chicken stock
8 ounces of red port wine
1 dried ancho chili
Bring to a boil and reduce heat, simmering for 20 to 30 minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half. Strain the liquid and discard the chili.

Return the sauce to the saucepan and add:

1 tablespoon each of lemon and orange peel, julienned
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Simmer 5 to 6 minutes, cool and serve with the spring rolls.

Editor’s Note: Ralph says the corn-fed geese that come through Wisconsin are tender enough to sauté. The snow geese we used when testing this recipe had made a few trips up and down the flyway and were a bit chewy when prepared this way, so we tried braising. We sautéed the breasts to seal in the juices, then slow-cooked them in a covered roaster at 275 degrees for three hours.

Rob Olson suggests simmering tough old birds in water and a package of onion soup mix and some of your favorite spices. That also works well.

* If you can’t find spring rolls, egg roll or wanton wrappers will also work. In our test kitchen, we used egg rolls with very satisfactory results.

Easy Rice Side Dish

Ralph also was gracious enough to provide this easy side dish for southwestern rice.

In a sauté pan, melt:

2 tablespoons of butter
Add and cook until tender:

1/2 cup diced green onion
1/4 cup diced red pepper
1/4 cup diced yellow pepper
Stir in:

4 cups of cooked brown rice
1 small can green chilis
Cook 3 or 4 minutes, stirring well. Season with salt and pepper and serve.