Santa Claus is Coming!
Thomas Worth
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Christmas Dinner December 2002
Food and Wine Holiday Cookbook
Food & Wine Books, Editorial Director: Judith Hill,
1996, American Express Publishing Corporation

Mushrooms with Dilled Sour Cream on Toast
Cauliflower Oyster Stew
Roast East Hampton Golden Goose
Apricot Walnut Stuffing
Braised Red Cabbage with Maple-Glazed Chestnuts
Ali Baba

Mushrooms with Dilled Sour Cream on Toast

“Served here as a first course, this dish is similar to one that would be
served as part of a Russian ‘zakuska’ (small bites) table.”

Wine Recommendation: A wine has to have plenty of personality to deal
with the dill in this dish. Sauvignon Blanc, with its acidity, body,
and strong flavor, is an ideal choice. Try one from New Zealand.

Serves 6

12 tablespoons butter
6 slices white or whole-wheat bread, crusts removed
1 pound small mushrooms
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup minced fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried dill
1 tablespoon onion juice (squeezed from grated onion)
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
Pinch cayenne
Paprika, for garnish

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt 8 tablespoons of the butter. Brush the trimmed slices of bread on both sides with melted butter. Put the bread slices on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven, turning once, until they are crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
2. Heat the broiler. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and discard.
Toss the caps with the lemon juice.
3. In a medium frying pan, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter over moderate heat. Add the mushroom caps and cook for 1 minute, without letting them brown or soften.
4. In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream, dill, and onion juice. Add salt, black pepper, and cayenne to taste.
5. Spoon the mushrooms over the toast and cover with the dilled cream.
Dust with paprika and broil until bubbly, about 1 minute.
- Pearl Byrd Foster

Cauliflower Oyster Stew

“Luscious, rich, and quick to  make – served in small portions,
this twist on oyster stew makes an ideal first course.”

Wine Recommendation: Try a light, lively white such as Muscadet de
Sèvre-et-Maine, a classic French shellfish wine. The acidic briskness of the
wine pairs well with the cauliflower and counterpoints the dish’s richness.

Serves 6

1 head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into pieces
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
2 dozen fresh-shucked oysters
1/4 cup oyster liquor *
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chervil or parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

* Cleaning oyster liquor: To get the grit out, first lift the oysters from their
liquor and set them aside. Then pour the liquor through a paper-towel-lined
sieve into a measuring cup.

1. Put 1 inch of water in a large saucepan. Add the cauliflower, cover the
pan, and steam over high heat until tender, about 10 minutes.
2. Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor or blender and purée with
1/2 cup of the milk. Put the purée back into the saucepan. Whisk in the remaining 2 cups milk and the cream. Cook over moderate heat, whisking, until very hot, about 3 minutes. Don’t let the mixture boil. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of the turmeric, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
3. Add the oysters and the liquor and cook, stirring frequently, until just heated through, about 3 minutes. Don’t let the mixture boil, or the oysters
will become tough. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve
the stew sprinkled with the chervil, chives, and the remaining 1/4
teaspoon turmeric.
- Susan Hermann Loomis

Roast East Hampton Golden Goose

“The long, slow-cooking recommended here is your best bet for a tender
goose. Be sure to reserve the goose liver to add to the stuffing.”

Wine Recommendation: The flavors of the stuffing pair nicely with a
fruity red. Try a pinot-noir-based wine from the Cote Chalonnaise in
France, such as a Givry or Montagny.

Serves 8

One 12- to 14-pound goose with giblets, at room temperature,
excess fat removed and reserved
1 lemon, cut in half
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper
Apricot Walnut Stuffing (recipe follows)
1/4 pound butter, melted
3/4 cup chicken stock, or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water, chicken stock,
or canned low-sodium chicken broth

1. Heat the oven to 550 degrees F. Reserve the goose liver for the stuffing. Rub the skin and cavity of the goose with the cut lemon. Season inside
and out with salt and pepper. Prick the skin around the legs and wings
with a fork.
2. Loosely fill the cavity of the goose with stuffing. Close the cavity with metal skewers or wooden toothpicks. Twist the wings behind the bird
and tie the legs together. Brush with the melted butter.
3. Put the goose, breast-side down, on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast
for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees F and
continue to roast, basting frequently with the pan juices and pricking
the skin often with a fork to release the fat.
4. After 2 hours, turn the goose breast-side up. Cover the breast with slices
of the reserved fat, pressing the pieces together into a sheet to cover the breast. Roast until the joints move readily and the meat feels soft, about 1 hour longer. The juices will run clear when the thigh is pricked with a fork.
5. Remove the crusty pieces of fat from the breast and increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees F. Roast the goose until the skin is golden and crisp. Transfer the goose to a serving platter and leave in a warm spot for about 15 minutes.
6. Pour the pan juices into a large bowl. Remove all but 3 tablespoons fat. Return the pan juices to the roasting pan and set the pan over moderate
heat. Add the Port reserved from the stuffing or 1 cup Port if you’re using
a different stuffing, and the stock and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom
of the pan to dislodge any brown bits.
7. In a small bowl, stir together the arrowroot and the cold water. Whisk
the arrowroot mixture into the sauce and boil, whisking constantly, until thickened. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the
string from the goose. Carve the bird and serve with the stuffing and gravy.
- Pearl Byrd Foster

Apricot Walnut Stuffing

“Fruit-and-nut stuffings taste especially good with goose, but don’t
miss out on this one if you’re serving a different bird. It’s also good
with turkey, duck, chicken or capon.”

Makes about 6 cups

1/2 pound dried apricots or pitted prunes
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup Port
1 lemon, cut into thin slices
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 goose liver or liver from whatever bird you’re stuffing
1 onion, chopped
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, cored and chopped
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup minced celery, including leaves
2 cups cubed good-quality white or whole-wheat bread
Salt and fresh-ground black pepper

1. Soak the apricots and raisins in the Port overnight.
2. In a large stainless-steel saucepan, combine the apricots, raisins, Port
and lemon slices. Simmer until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Drain.
(Reserve the liquid if you are making the Roast East Hampton Golden
Goose.) Chop the drained fruit and transfer to a large bowl.
3. In a medium frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and cook the
liver until firm, about 2 minutes. Chop the liver and add it to the fruit.
4. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan. Add the onion and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5
minutes. Transfer to the bowl along with the apple, walnuts, and mace.
Toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the lemon juice, celery,
and bread cubes. Season the stuffing with salt and pepper to taste.
- Pearl Byrd Foster

Continue to page 2
 

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