Goose or Duck Risotto
- 6 cups goose, duck, or Chicken Stock  or highquality canned low-sodium chicken broth
- ÂĽ cup goose fat or 3 tablespoons unsalted butter plus 1Â tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, or as needed
- 1 medium onion, chopped into ÂĽ-inch dice
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 ounce dried porcini, reconstituted in warm water , soaking liquid saved, and coarsely chopped
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ cups Arborio rice
- ½ cup dry white wine
- ½ cup crispy goose or duck skin cut into matchsticks (optional)
- ½ pound duck or goose meat, trimmed of skin and fat and coarsely chopped into 1- to 2-inch pieces
- ½ cup dried cranberries (optional)
- ÂĽ cup pine nuts, toasted
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1 to 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, if needed
Instructions:
Leftover goose or duck is a rare opportunity for an extraordinary risotto. In my family, we have a tradition of using the carcasses of the Christmas geese to make a stock , which we then use, along with leftover goose meat, to make goose risotto on December 26.  I freeze extra stock, saving it for a treat with friends sometime in February.
- To make the risotto, follow the recipe below, substituting alternative ingredients for the listed ones as necessary—you don’t need all of the first-choice ingredients
- Heat the stock to a simmer. Keep warm.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of the goose fat (or butter) in a risotto pan or a large deep saucepan over medium heat. It’s important to use a pan with a heavy bottom that conducts heat evenly or the rice could burn when you cook the risotto. As soon as the fat melts, add the onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add another 1½ tablespoons goose fat (or butter) to the pan.
- As soon as it melts, add the chopped porcini mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the rice and cook for 5 minutes, stirring so the fat coats all the rice. Season with salt and pepper.
-  Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until most of it has been absorbed. Add ½ cup of the stock and cook, stirring frequently, making sure that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan, until most of the stock has been absorbed, then add another ½ cup. If you find that the stock is absorbed instantly, or you have to stir violently to prevent the rice from sticking and burning, then lower the heat. Continue adding the stock ½ cup at a time, waiting until most of it has been absorbed before adding more each time. Stop adding stock when the rice is creamy and tender but there’s still a slight amount of resistance when you bite into it. Don’t worry if there’s still stock left—you may not have to use it all. The total cooking time for the rice will be about 30 minutes.
- While the risotto is cooking, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon goose fat (or the olive oil) in a small sauté pan. Add the skin and sauté until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on a paper towel.
-  As soon as the rice is finished, stir in the goose meat, cranberries, if using, pine nuts, cheese, and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Taste and add a splash of balsamic vinegar if necessary. (Depending on whether you’ve used goose stock, and the amount specified of goose or duck meat, and whether you added the cranberries, the risotto may or may not taste quite rich. If it tastes too rich, a splash of acid will balance the flavor.)
- The texture should be creamy and slightly runny. Add ¼ cup more stock (or hot water if you’ve run out of stock) just before serving.
-  Spoon into warmed large shallow bowls or onto warmed plates and sprinkle with the cracklings, if you have them, and parsley. Serve immediately, offering additional cheese on the side.