Tradition is the big buzz word every Christmas; I’m frequently asked “what are your family foodie traditions?” Well goose is one of them; I always cook goose in the same way with stuffing and apple sauce served with rich gravy made from the gizzards and marrow bones. This year I have changed direction and researched how goose used to be cooked in days gone by and the most used ingredient in the recipes I found were shallots.
In 1808 The Modern Apicius was published in Rome by Francesco Leonardi and he included a recipe which is Goose after the English manner. It reads; take a tender and plump goose, draw, stuff it with its liver pounded and seasoned with shallot, parsley, chives, truffles and a clove of garlic, pound all this with salt, crushed pepper, nutmeg, bacon slivers and two raw egg yolks. Then sew it up, truss it with the legs skinned and the toes clipped, folded back on the thighs and roast on a spit. When almost cooked sprinkle it with grated breadcrumbs, brown it and serve it on gravy made with beef, a little pounded shallot, salt, crushed pepper and the juice of a large lemon or orange.
This sounds delicious but the moral of the story is that renowned food writers and chefs even in 1808 realised that shallots are a highly valued ingredient imparting a sweet delicious subtle flavour that no other allium can.
So for my goose this year it’s going to be shalloted in true Christmas Roman style.
Have a good one.
Happy Christmas
Love
Rachel
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