Christmas Goose With Wild Rice And Sausage Stuffing

• 3 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup wild rice
• 1/2 pound bulk sausage
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 large apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 slice wheat bread, torn into small pieces
• 1/2 cup golden raisins
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dry rubbed sage
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 8 to 9 pound goose, cleaned, rinsed, and dried

At least 1 hour before preparing stuffing, bring water and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan; add wild rice and cover. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the rice is cooked and the water is absorbed; set aside.

In a large skillet, cook sausage until it is crumbly. Remove cooked sausage and set aside. Sauté celery and onion several minutes until the onion begins to soften; stir in the chopped apple and sauté several more minutes. Add the chicken broth and stir in the cooked wild rice, torn bread, golden raisins, and dates. Season the mixture with sage, salt and pepper, and lightly stuff the goose cavity with some of the wild rice mixture. Spoon the remaining stuffing into a buttered casserole dish, cover, and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the stuffed goose in a large roasting pan, rub the skin with butter, and cover loosely with foil. Roast in a preheated oven 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and roast the goose 18 minutes per pound, or until it is done and a thermometer inserted into the thigh reaches 185 degrees.

Recipe serves 8 to 10.