It's holiday season again and it can seem difficult to be innovative with traditional recipes. But it's fun to refresh an old classic with new twists.
And let's be honest: We all want to impress our friends and show up our mothers-in- law.
Here's how you can do it this year. Just try this crispy goose or duck recipe, which adds old-fashioned warmth and richness to holiday gatherings. You don't have to lose the turkey or ham, just take the extra time to cook both or opt for one for dinner on the eve rather than the holiday.
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South Beach Bar & Grille Chef Marco Meola balances a classic Christmas goose prepared with his own modern twists.
My grandmother taught me how to roast goose when I was a 10-year-old living on Long Island on the Great South Bay. The yard was often rife with hundreds of Canadian geese during cold winters.
One morning, my older cousin, Ricky, and I complained goose poop prevented us from playing football on the lawn. My grandmother shooed us out promising to teach us how to cook it if we returned with a goose.
With hundreds of geese out back we thought it would be easy to catch one.
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Marco Meola, co-owner of the South Beach Bar & Grille on Boca Grande, can be reached at marcomeola@yahoo.com.
Three hours, much sweat and some tears later, Ricky, an avid hunter, decided to teach me how to use a bow and arrow. My mother felt I was not yet of hunting age, but since we'd been sent on a wild goose chase we felt I had a hall pass.
When we arrived home with our prize, the look on grandmother's face was a reward. She hadn't expected to have to teach us how to cook a goose that day. What's good for the goose is good for the grandmother.
This roasted goose is an adaptation of my grandmother's recipe with a few twists. Preparation must begin the day before the goose is to be consumed.
Roast Goose Recipe
Ingredients:
One bottle of Grey Goose vodka
2 Tbsp. olive oil
One 14-pound farm-raised goose (wild not preferred)
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
4 1/2 cups heated vegetable stock
1 Tbsp. agave syrup
1 tsp. Siracha hot sauce
1 tsp. potato starch dissolved in 3 tbsp. Pinot Grigio
Directions: Open bottle of Grey Goose, pour over ice, strain into a martini glass and sip.
DAY ONE: Rub olive oil on your fingers and begin working under the skin starting from the gooseneck down to the thighs. This will help crisp the skin. Cut halfway through the wing and leg joints for even cooking. Season the entire goose with salt and pepper - even under the skin.
Next, set a wire rack in a Dutch oven and place the goose in the pan breast side up. Add neck and giblets. Pour four cups vegetable stock into the pan. Cover the Dutch oven. Bring stock to a boil on stovetop, then simmer on low 40 minutes. Pull the goose off the stove and let it cool to room temperature with lid off. Strain pan juices and refrigerate. Set goose uncovered overnight in refrigerator.
DAY TWO: Preheat oven to 375, and bring goose back to room temperature before roasting. Mix half-cup stock, agave syrup and Siracha hot sauce in a bowl. Roast goose uncovered for 1 hour, basting occasionally with the agave mixture. Carefully turn goose breast side down and roast 20 minutes longer. When thermometer in thigh registers 170 degrees - Your Goose Is Cooked. Transfer to serving platter and let rest for 15 minutes.
PAN GRAVY: While your goose is taking a nap you can prepare an outstanding pan gravy. Pour excess fat from roasting pan and add juices strained from day before. Begin to boil on stovetop scraping browned bits from the bottom and sides. After five minutes, strain and transfer juices to a saucepan, add Pinot Grigio slurry and simmer, stirring slightly until thickened. Finish with salt and pepper seasoning.
Carve your goose and pass the jus.
Try something old to give your guests something new. This recipe will produce the most delicious roasted crispy skin goose you'll ever have. We encourage fusion cooking, not confusion cooking.
Marco Meola, co-owner of the South Beach Bar & Grille on Boca Grande, can be reached at marcomeola@yahoo.com.
