Good goose!

When the New Year approaches, I like to go away with my family and close friends for two or three days. Somewhere in a country house: dress up a real Christmas tree in the yard with the children, light a fireplace … What could be better? In the city, the pre-holiday fuss continues until the very last moment, when, having finally reached the house, tired and annoyed due to traffic jams and queues, we strive to quickly prepare everything – just to have time to set the table for the arrival of guests and the chiming clock. And here – silence, snowdrifts, stars, and on the table – a goose shimmering with a golden sheen in apples!

The goose is a proud and capricious bird. It has rather tough meat, so it should cook for at least 3-4 hours. It is believed that for every kilogram of meat it is worth taking about an hour of cooking, so it’s good to start preparing for the holiday in the morning. The whole company can be involved in this exciting process: one cuts apples, another rubs the bird with spices, the third is engaged in the oven. My little daughter, for example, loves to help me in the kitchen, doing some simple things for me, but very significant things for her.

Baked goose with apples in cranberry sauce

For 6 persons. Preparation: 1 hour.

Preparation: 4-5 hours.

• 1 goose (5–6 kg)
• 4–5 Antonov apples
• 500 g frozen cranberries
• 1 head of garlic
• 1 bunch of thyme
• 100 g honey
• 200 ml chicken broth
• 100 g of melted butter
• 2 Art. l. Sahara
• salt and pepper

Rub the goose carcass inside and out with salt, pepper, crushed garlic and melted butter. Peel the apples, remove the core, cut into quarters. Stuff the goose with them, adding thyme and garlic cloves, stab with toothpicks. Leave to marinate for 40 minutes. Put on a baking sheet, cover with foil and bake for 4-5 hours in an oven preheated to 180 ° C. Baste with rendered fat from time to time. When the meat becomes soft and its juice is light, remove the foil, pour more fat and hold in the oven for another 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Don’t forget to take out the toothpicks! For cranberry sauce, caramelize sugar and honey in a saucepan, then add frozen cranberries or cranberry juice. Sweat the berries and add the chicken broth. When it has evaporated, salt and pepper to taste, then strain the sauce.

There are many ways to cook a goose: with porridge, with sauerkraut … But it seems to me that the most festive option is with apples. Antonov’s are best suited – they give a wonderful, unlike anything spicy-sour aroma. Choose a large goose, at least 5-7 kg (its meat should be yellowish-white in color and smell good). It is important that the bird is not frozen: to check this, you need to press on the meat with your finger and see how it reacts. If the dent recovers quickly, then you have a fresh carcass in your hands. To give the goose a rich taste, it must be marinated in advance in a mixture of pepper, salt and garlic. And so that the goose does not turn out dry, in the process of cooking it must be constantly watered with its own juice. I will reveal a little secret to those who want to see the notorious golden crust on the goose: you need to rub it with melted butter and in no case pour it with water!

Goose does not require exotic snacks. Assorted pickles and soaked apples, cranberry liqueur and sweet tinctures perfectly emphasize its taste. In the meantime, you can bake a beautiful, light berry shortcake with blueberries or blueberries in the oven – a sweet surprise for children.

blueberry pie

For 6 persons. Preparation: 40 minutes.

Preparation: 10 minutes.

For the dough:

• 300 g butter
• 190 grams of powdered sugar
• 2 eggs
• 500 g wheat flour
• 60 g almond flour
• salt

For the filling:

• 200 g blueberries (or blueberries, fresh or frozen)
• 100 g butter
• 200 ml of milk
• 3 eggs
• 100 g sugar
• 50 grams of powdered sugar
• 7 g gelatin

Mix butter with powdered sugar in a mixer. Add eggs and salt, mix, add almond and wheat flour. Knead the dough (not for long), grease the baking dish with oil and put the finished dough on it. Distribute it in a form and bake for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 180 ° C. For the filling, combine sugar, butter and milk, bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add egg and gelatin. Mix blueberries with powdered sugar and knead a little. Put the berry filling on top and put the cake in the oven for another 5 minutes.