St. Martin's goose
Description
The tradition of roasting a goose for the feast of Saint Martin has many legends, one of which states that once the geese disturbed Saint Martin with their loud cries while he was delivering sermons, and thus were punished. The feast of Saint Martin (celebrated on November 11) marks the symbolic end of the entire cycle of fieldwork and the preparation for winter. By this holiday, geese were slaughtered both to treat one's family with delicious food and to avoid spending extra grain on feeding the birds. I should note that on this holiday, not only roasted goose but also other dishes made from goose meat or offal are popular. For instance, pâtés are made from goose liver, and flavorful soups are cooked from goose gizzards. Today I'd like to offer you a recipe,
Instructions
- 1
Step 1
Prepare all the necessary ingredients. I bought a plucked goose at the market. A home-raised goose is always tastier than a store-bought one, so I try to purchase it only from trusted sources and reliable people. Of course, it's more expensive, but the flavor turns out much richer.
- 2
Step 2
Rinse the goose thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the goose inside and out with a mixture of salt, pepper, and poultry spices. Place the goose on the top shelf of the refrigerator to marinate for 1–2 hours.
- 3
Step 3
Meanwhile, prepare the filling: chop the onion into large pieces, dice the apples after removing the core.
- 4
Step 4
Mix the apples with the onion and fill the entire inside of the goose with the mixture.
- 5
Step 5
To prevent the filling from leaking during baking and to retain as much juice as possible inside, sew the skin with thick thread or secure it with toothpicks, as I did.
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Step 6
Since I bought the goose at the market rather than plucking it myself, I initially failed to notice that thick yellow skin remained on the legs. This must be removed. I recommend wrapping the wings in foil, as the goose will be roasting for a long time and the wings might burn. Place the goose in an ovenproof dish and put it in the oven for 2–2.5 hours (the temperature should be 220°C for the first 30 minutes, then reduced to 180°C). Check doneness by making a small cut: if there is no more blood, the goose is ready and can be taken out of the oven.
- 7
Step 7
The St. Martin's goose is ready. Look how delicious it turned out: so tender inside and crispy on the outside! Enjoy your meal!