Turkey Day? Thanksgiving, European Style

This year's Thanksgiving will be a little different for us, since my husband is down to the wire with a PhD deadline (only a week to go!), and I knew we wouldn't have the time to host a huge dinner for lots of our American friends.  Even through it'll be low-key and just the two of us, I'm still planning on making something special--maybe just not an 18 pound turkey with 10 sides and 5 desserts!  

One thing I love about the fall here in Vienna is every year on November 11th St. Martin's Day is celebrated with a meal of delicious roasted goose, usually accompanied by red cabbage and dumplings.  Goose is also one of the options for a traditional English Christmas dinner.  The first time I had this meal it blew my mind-- the goose is so juicy and flavorful, richer than turkey and, dare I say, better(!).  If for you turkey is a constitutive part of a "real" Thanksgiving, and you can't imagine the day without it, then you could even consider having both, like we did last year when cooking for a huge crowd. Turkey and goose compliment each other well, and your cook times will be shorter if you roast two smaller birds rather than one enormous turkey.  Just be careful when cooking goose for Thanksgiving-- you just might be converted.

Here's what I'm thinking of making for us on Turkey Day:

Gordon Ramsay's recipe for Roasted Goose

1. Calculate the cooking time (see tips, below). If the goose is ready-trussed, then loosen the string and pull out the legs and wings a little - this helps the bird cook better. Check the inside of the bird and remove any giblets or pads of fat. Using the tip of a sharp knife, lightly score the breast and leg skin in a criss-cross. This helps the fat to render down more quickly during roasting.
2. Grate the zest from the lemons and limes. Mix with 2 tsp fine sea salt, the five-spice powder and pepper to taste. Season the cavity of the goose generously with salt, then rub the citrus mix well into the skin and sprinkle some inside the cavity.
3. Stuff the zested fruit and the herb sprigs inside the bird and set aside for at least 15 mins. Can be done up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated.
4. Heat oven to 240C/fan 220C/gas 9. If you want to give the bird a nice golden skin, brown in a large frying pan (or a heavy-based roasting tin), using a couple of tbsp of oil. Holding the bird by the legs (you may like to use an oven glove), press it down on the breasts to brown.
5. Once browned, place the bird in the roasting tin. Drizzle with the honey and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Roast for the calculated time, turning the heat down after 10 mins to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Cover the goose with foil if it is starting to brown too much.
6. Every 30 mins or so, baste the bird with the pan juices, then pour off the fat through a sieve into a large heatproof bowl . You will end up with at least a litre of luscious fat - save this for the potatoes and other veg. At the end of the cooking time, leave to rest for at least 30 mins, covered loosely with foil. The bird will not go cold, but will be moist and much easier to carve.

Roasting times

Cook for 10 mins at 460F/fan 425F/gas 9, then reduce to 375F/fan 340/gas 5 and cook for 10 mins per pound for medium-rare, 15 mins per kg for more well-done, plus 30 mins resting.

How to carve

Goose breasts are shallow, so take a sharp, long thin-bladed knife and angle it at about 90 degrees to the breastbone, carving from the neck end. Detach the legs, then slice off the thigh meat.

Even if you don't roast your own goose, you can find prepackaged goose fat in some grocery stores.  It might sound a little strange using it to cook your potatoes, but anything cooked in goose fat tastes amazing!  

Recipe from Gourmet for Potatoes Roasted in Goose Fat

4 russet (baking) potatoes (about 2 pounds)
1/2 cup rendered goose fat
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves 

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Have ready a bowl of cold water. Peel potatoes and with a 3/4-inch melon-ball cutter cut out potato balls, dropping into water as cut. Drain potatoes in a colander and transfer them to several layers of paper towels, patting very dry.

In a 12-inch ovenproof heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) heat goose fat over moderate heat until hot but not smoking. Add potatoes, stirring to coat with fat, and roast in middle of oven, turning potatoes every 15 minutes, until crisp and golden, about 45 minutes.

While potatoes are roasting, in a very small saucepan cook garlic in butter over low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.

With a slotted spoon transfer potatoes to a large bowl and stir in garlic butter, parsley, and salt to taste.

Before you write off this recipe for brussels sprouts, let me just say that these little mini cabbages were on my list of least favorite things to eat for years.  So often they are served mushy and tasteless, but using fresh brussels sprouts and roasting them in a skillet brings out their flavor and crispy outsides.  


Spicy-and-Garlicky Brussels Sprouts 
from Food & Wine
serves 12


(The staff at Myers + Chang restaurant call these sprouts "green candy" because they get so sweet as they brown in the skillet.)


3 pounds brussels sprouts, washed and halved
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt


1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add the brussels sprouts and cook until bright green, 2 minutes.  Drain well and pat dry.  \2. In a large, deep skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil until shimmering.  Add half of the garlic and half of the brussels sprouts and cook over high heat undisturbed for 1 minute.  Add half of the crushed red pepper, season with salt and cook over moderate hat, stirring a few times, until the brussels sprouts are browned and tender, about 3 minutes.  Transfer to a serving bowl.  Repeat with the remaining oil, garlic, brussels sprouts and crushed red pepper.  Serve warm.

I love this tart, slightly sweet red cabbage recipe, and the color is amazing on the plate.  This dish combines wonderfully with either bird.


Jaime Oliver's recipe for "Must Have" Red Cabbage Braised with Apple, Bacon and Balsamic Vinegar


Pour a good lug of olive oil into a saucepan, get it hot and add the bacon and fennel seeds. Cook until golden then add the onion and continue to cook, with the lid on, for a few more minutes until golden and sticky. Add the apple, followed by the cabbage chunks, salt and pepper and the vinegar, and stir everything together well. Put the lid back on and continue to cook on a low heat for an hour, checking and stirring every so often. You will end up with a gorgeously sticky-sweet cabbage dish that you’ll want to eat immediately, straight out of the pan! Or, if you can wait long enough, scoop it into a serving dish, pop the butter on top and sprinkle over the parsley.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Liza