Festive Goose

Ingredients

• 1 goose (about 4 kg)
• 2 stalks Parsley
• 1 stalk mugwort
• 4 apples
• Salt
• ground pepper
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 250 g celery root
• 2 tbsp honey
• a splash of port wine

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 160°C with both top and bottom heat.

2. 2.

   Rinse the goose cold and pat dry. Roughly chop the herbs. Wash the apples and remove the cores. Mix the apples with the herbs. Salt and pepper the inside of the goose and fill it with the apple mixture. Sew the opening closed or secure with toothpicks. Prick the skin on the sides and below the legs to allow fat to drain. Season the outside and place breast side down in a roasting pan, adding a little water. Roast in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes, basting occasionally with liquid.

3. 3.

   Meanwhile peel and roughly cube the onions, carrots, and celery root.

4. 4.

   Remove the goose from the pan and pour out the liquid. Skim off excess fat and use 1–2 tbsp of fat to brown the vegetables in the pan. Add back the roasting liquid, place the goose breast side up again, season lightly if needed, and roast for another 2–2½ hours, basting frequently and adding water as necessary. Then remove the goose from the pan, take out any thread or toothpicks, and discard the stuffing. Place the goose on a baking sheet. Switch the oven to grill mode. Brush the goose with honey and brown it under the grill for about 10 minutes. While this happens, strain the sauce, skim off fat, reduce further if desired or add water, and season with port wine, salt, and pepper (optionally thicken with a little starch).

5. 5.

   Serve the goose with apples on a platter and offer the sauce separately.