Roast goose with apples

Wash, peel, core and quarter the apples. Remove any giblet bag from the goose and pat dry. Remove loose fat at the cavity opening. Prick fatty areas of skin with a skewer without piercing the flesh. Rub with the salt. Put the quarters from 2 apples and the mugwort loosely in the cavity. Close with skewers and tie the legs.

Heat the conventional oven to 160 °C. Place the goose breast down in a large roasting pan. Add the quarters from the remaining 4 apples around it and pour in the water. Roast for 120 minutes, basting regularly. Add a little hot water if the base is at risk of drying out.

Reduce the oven to 140 °C and roast for about another 120 minutes. Once the back is browned, carefully turn the goose to brown the breast. Check that the leg meat releases easily and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 80 to 85 °C without the probe touching bone. Cook longer if needed. Lift out and rest for 10 minutes while making the sauce.

Remove the mugwort, skewers and string. Pour the juices into a fat separator and separate the fat. Put the cooked apples and defatted juices in a saucepan. Bring to the boil and blend until smooth. Carve the goose and spoon over the sauce.