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by Kathie Hempel
Create a Michaelmas Feast
While there may be dispute over the number of other angels represented for the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, there is no dispute over the tradition of September 29 being a special feast day with a long history of traditional food and customs.
Geese were plentiful and said to be most tasty in the autumn of the year and so it is no wonder that the main course originally centered on the large bird. Today with goose being less available and the price often prohibitive, chicken and turkey are more likely to fill the bill. But should you choose to opt for the traditional recipe, we include it here.
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Roast Goose with Apples
(serves 8)
1 13-lb. goose, giblets and neck discarded (you’ll need 1 lb per person)
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
8 golden delicious apples, peeled, each cut into 6 wedges
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup Calvados (apple brandy)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350°F. Rinse goose inside and out; pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper. Using knife, cut small slits all over goose; place garlic slices into slits. Place goose on rack, breast side down, in large roasting pan. Roast goose 2 hours 45 minutes, basting occasionally with drippings and removing excess fat; reserve 6 tablespoons fat. Turn goose over.
Roast until brown and thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F, basting occasionally with drippings, about 45 minutes longer. Meanwhile, toss apples and lemon juice in large bowl. Pour 6 tablespoons goose fat into 15 x 10 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Using slotted spoon, transfer apples to baking dish; toss apples in goose fat. Add sugar, Calvados and cinnamon to apples; toss. Bake apples alongside goose until very tender and golden, about 1 hour.
Serve goose with caramelized apples and a Bordeaux wine.
Source: http://www.fisheaters.com/customstimeafterpentecost10.html
Potato and Sausage Stuffing
6 cups cubed potatoes
3 T chopped onion
3 T butter
3 T chopped parsley
1 tsp marjoram
¾ lb sausage meat
Salt and pepper
Peel and cube the potatoes and parboil for about five minutes. Sauté the onion in the butter and add the potatoes, sausage meat, and parsley. Season with marjoram and pepper, and salt lightly because of the sausage meat. Apples may be substituted for the potatoes but in that case omit the marjoram.