Goose with Roasted Apples and Onions

Method

1 To make the stock, put the giblets into a pan and add the carrot, celery, onion, bouquet garni and peppercorns, then cover with 1.1 litres (2 pints) cold water. Cover and bring slowly to the boil, then simmer for 1hr. Drain and reserve the liquid.

2 Wash the goose and pat dry with kitchen paper, then season the bird inside and out with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3 Cut one of the onions and two of the apples into quarters and put into the cavity of the goose with half the sage, half the rosemary and the bay leaf. Tie the legs together with string and push a long skewer through the wings to tuck them close to the body. Put the goose breast-side up on to a rack in a large roasting tin. Use a metal skewer to prick the breast all over to help release the fat during cooking. Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Put the rest of the onions around the goose. Cover the goose and tin with foil, then chill until required.

4 When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven to 230°C (210°C fan oven) mark 8. Calculate the cooking time and cook for 15min per 450g (1lb) plus 15min - this works out to be 3hr for a 5kg (11lb) goose. Roast for 30min.

5 Reduce the oven temperature to 190°C (170°C fan oven) mark 5. Use a baster to remove the fat from the base of the tin, drizzling some over the goose to keep the flesh moist. Put the remaining fat into a glass jar and set aside for the braised shallots. Roast goose for a further 1hr, then remove and reserve the excess fat again from the base of the tin .

6 Cook the bird for a further 30min, then remove foil. Extract and reserve the fat again, then add remaining apples to the tin. Sprinkle the goose with the remaining sage and rosemary sprigs, then return it to the oven and roast for a further 1hr. To test whether the goose is cooked, pierce the thigh with a skewer - it's ready when the juices run clear. Put the cooked bird on to a warm platter, cover tightly with foil and leave to rest for 30min. Remove the apples and onions, cover and keep warm.

7 To make the gravy, pour out and reserve all but 1tbsp of the fat from the tin, then sprinkle in the gravy mix and whisk in the wine. Put the tin directly on to the hob and bubble the gravy for 5min to reduce it slightly. Stir regularly, scraping up the goodness from the base of the tin, then whisk in the stock and bring to the boil.

8 Take one roast apple and onion and add them to the gravy, pressing them down with the back of a wooden spoon. Simmer the gravy for 10min, then strain it through a metal sieve into a clean pan, squeezing the onion and apple with the spoon to extract as much flavour as possible.

9 Cut the remaining apples and onions into wedges and serve with the goose, garnished with watercress.