As I sit here writing this, with festive music floating up from the foot path below and the smell of the roasting duck in the oven filling our tiny apartment, I can’t help but think of Barbara Stanwyck in Christmas in Connecticut. When we first see her, she’s sitting at a typewriter, eating sardines, and the camera pans around to show clotheslines full of laundry outside her window and a steaming radiator just below it. But she’s describing a different scene, one of New England farms and gleaming kitchens and toasted veal cutlets cooking slowly in the oven.
Of course, she’s a fraud. She’s pretending to be Elizabeth Lane, America’s Best Cook, when she’s really Elizabeth Lane, food writer and friend of a very good chef who writes gourmet recipes for her.
I’m definitely more like Elisabeth Lane the writer. I’m not the kind of woman who often does something as ambitious as roasting a duck on a Friday night — but, this is no typical Friday night, so I can assure you, there really is a duck slow roasting in the oven right now. And honestly, it smells amazing in here. Like Christmastime.
Tonight is Martinmas Eve (in Danish, mortensaften), the eve of St. Martin’s Day. According to legend, the residents of Tours decided to appoint Martin as their bishop. He was not keen on the idea, and hid among a gaggle of geese in a pen. But the geese did what geese do — they honked, loudly — and his location was revealed. No longer able to hide, he was forced to assume the role of bishop.
As a form of revenge, Martin decreed that every household should slaughter and eat at least one goose each year on the day he was exposed — the 11th of November — which is now the holiday known as Morten's Day. A revenge served both hot and annually.
Most Danes do seem to still celebrate Martinmas Eve. This is not a church holiday; it’s celebrated at home with family, and the centerpiece of it is a nice meal featuring a roasted duck. I know, the legend is about geese, not ducks, but modern celebrations seem to always use ducks. I’ve asked about this and received several answers — duck is more affordable; ducks are smaller than geese and easier to fit in a small Danish oven; and — my personal favorite — Germans eats geese, so Danes eat ducks.
Whatever the reason, duck is the order of the day, so here I am, roasting a duck. It’s not my first — duck is also a traditional Christmas Eve food here, and I made one for us last year — so I’m feeling cautiously confident it’ll turn out well.
While I wait for this duck to do its thing, I thought I’d share the recipe! Before making one, I had no idea how to even start, but it’s actually quite easy and the results are impressive.
Megan’s Martinmas Eve Duck
Ingredients:
whole duck (mine is about 6 lbs/3000ish grams)
2-3 apples (use your favorite variety!)
1 red onion
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
a handful of pitted dates
a handful of fresh thyme
a splash of apple cider
plenty of salt and pepper
Steps:
Preheat oven to 350F/178C.
Make the stuffing:
Chop the apples, onion, and dates.
Combine with garlic, thyme, and apple cider.
Prep the bird:
Remove anything from the inner cavity
Prick the thick outer layer of fat with a skewer or fork
Season the bird inside and out with salt and pepper
Transfer stuffing to the cavity of the duck
Tie the legs with twine to hold in the stuffing
Cook the bird! Because it renders so much fat, I like to cook the duck right on the oven rack:
Place bird on oven rack in center of oven
Add enough water to cover the bottom to a roasting pan, and place that under the rack — right under the bird! — in the oven. This makes clean up much nicer and also keeps the duck nice and moist.
Tent some aluminum foil over the bird and roast for 45 minutes.
Uncover the duck, crank up the heat to 425F/218C, and cook for 30 minutes.
Increase the heat one last time, to 475-500F/246-260C, and cook for 10 minutes or so, until the skin is golden and crisp.
Always use a meat thermometer to make sure meat is cooked to temperature!
Let rest 10-15 minutes before digging in.
As far as sides go, Danes tend to serve potatoes — often caramelized, which is not our favorite. So, I’m going much more American with our side and making mashed potatoes along with cinnamon apples and onions. Yum!
This is something I make a lot, so the ingredients are pretty loose — I never measure anything because I’m terrible.
Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients:
several baking potatoes
chicken broth
butter
Steps:
Bake the potatoes. I don’t like to boil them — I think it makes them too gluey — so I bake and then scoop out the insides.
Then, it’s easy: I just combine the potatoes with as much broth and butter as it needs to be creamy and wonderful.
Apples & Onions
Ingredients:
butter (probably a tablespoon)
2-3 apples, peeled (if you want, I never do) and sliced
1-2 large onions (I like to use a big yellow one)
about 2 tbsp. brown sugar
about 2 tsp. cinnamon
2/3 cup apple cider
1/3 cup heavy cream
Steps:
Melt butter in skillet over medium heat.
Add apples and onions. Cook — stirring often — until onions are translucent.
Stir in brown sugar and cinnamon.
Stir in cider and cream.
Simmer for a few minutes to let the flavors deepen.
We love these served up right on the mashed potatoes, but definitely feel free to go Sally Albright and have them on the side.
Ready for the big reveal?
Voila!
If you’re trying to get in the spirit of things, or are in need of holiday weekend plans, I highly recommend roasting a duck. If I can do it, that means Elizabeth Lane probably can, and I’m betting that means you definitely can.
And watch Christmas in Connecticut. That’s also a very good idea.
Thanks for sharing. I was not aware of this Danish holiday but I love roasted duck - and we Germans don't just eat goose, many prefer duck. :) I may have to make one this weekend because now I'm craving it.
Thanks for sharing your Martinmas Eve Duck recipe.