flipHoney and fig roast goose from the Banquet of Bubastis
Honey and fig roast goose from the Banquet of Bubastis
Why this dish? Goose is the poultry of gods and banquets in Egypt, depicted in all offering scenes. For the great festival of Bastet at Bubastis, many beasts were killed and roasted: it is the dish of the goddess's high days.
A fat goose roasted, glazed with honey and stuffed with figs and dates, perfumed with coriander and cumin. Lacquered and crispy skin, tender meat between salty and sweet: the centerpiece of a feast.
For my great day, one does not offer a meager pittance: it must be the fat goose of the Delta, gilded with the honey of the Two Lands and swollen with figs. My cooks rub it with coriander and cumin, turn it over the embers until the skin crackles like the shell of the sun. Let the fat run, let the honey sing in the fire — such is the table worthy of a daughter of Ra. Eat, rejoice, and my favor will be upon your house.
- •Fat Delta goose — one bird (main piece)
- •Honey — to coat generously (glaze)
- •Figs and dates — a handful of each (sweet stuffing)
- •Coriander and cumin — to taste (spices)
- •Salt — to rub (seasoning)
Honey and fig roast goose from the Banquet of Bubastis
A fat goose roasted, glazed with honey and stuffed with figs and dates, perfumed with coriander and cumin. Lacquered and crispy skin, tender meat between salty and sweet: the centerpiece of a feast.
Why this dish? Goose is the poultry of gods and banquets in Egypt, depicted in all offering scenes. For the great festival of Bastet at Bubastis, many beasts were killed and roasted: it is the dish of the goddess's high days.
For my great day, one does not offer a meager pittance: it must be the fat goose of the Delta, gilded with the honey of the Two Lands and swollen with figs. My cooks rub it with coriander and cumin, turn it over the embers until the skin crackles like the shell of the sun. Let the fat run, let the honey sing in the fire — such is the table worthy of a daughter of Ra. Eat, rejoice, and my favor will be upon your house.
Ingredients (period version)
- Fat Delta goose — one bird (main piece)
- Honey — to coat generously (glaze)
- Figs and dates — a handful of each (sweet stuffing)
- Coriander and cumin — to taste (spices)
- Salt — to rub (seasoning)
Ingredients
- Goose legs and breasts (or a whole duck) — serves 4 (main piece)
- Honey — 4 tbsp (glaze)
- Dried figs — 8 (stuffing/garnish)
- Pitted dates — 6 (stuffing/garnish)
- Ground coriander seeds and cumin — 1 tsp each (spices)
- Salt — 1 tsp (seasoning)
Method
- Rub the poultry with salt, coriander, and cumin; set aside for 1 hour.
- Place in a dish with the figs and dates cut in half, around the meat.
- Roast at 180 °C; halfway through, brush generously with honey and baste with the juices.
- Continue cooking, lacquering two or three more times with honey, until the skin is golden brown and crispy (about 1 hour 15 minutes depending on the piece).
- Let rest 10 minutes, then serve with the figs and dates candied in honey and juices.
How it was made : Egyptians raised and force-fed geese, roasted on a spit or in an earthen oven on special occasions. Honey, the most prized sweetener, served both as a condiment and glaze; dried fruits like figs and dates often accompanied meats.
The contemporary twist : Arrange the lacquered poultry on a bed of burst figs, sprinkled with toasted sesame and a veil of fresh coriander — a "sweet-salty Nile" feast dish.
Sources : Herodotus, Histories, Book II, 59-60 · Offering and banquet scenes from Theban tombs
Bastet · Charactorium
