Grandma's roast goose

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 goose, approx. 5.5 kg
• salt and pepper
• some mugwort
• 2 carrots
• 125 g celeriac, alternatively 3 stalks celery
• 1 large onion(s)
• 1 large apple
• 1 clove(s) garlic
• 2 tomatoes or 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 liter of water
• some red wine to taste
• 2 cl Calvados or Cognac, for pouring

Instructions

Working time approx. 45 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 3 hours 30 minutes; Total time approx. 4 hours 15 minutes

An old family recipe without filling

Remove the bag of giblets from the goose, then rinse the goose thoroughly inside and out and pat dry. Now, if present, remove the flomen from the inside of the goose. Chop the stomach into small pieces and trim the tips from the wings. Roughly chop the vegetables and apple. Chop the flomen into small pieces. Season the goose well inside and out with salt, pepper, and mugwort. You can also rub a touch of cayenne pepper over the skin. Now fry the flomen in a roasting pan on the stove over medium heat. Depending on how fatty the goose is, pour out some of the melted flomen and the cracklings from the roasting pan. Brown the giblets, except for the liver, and the wing tips in the remaining fat. Then add the vegetables and apple and fry. When everything has taken on some color, stir in the tomato paste and sweat. Pour in the water and bring to a boil. Preheat the oven to 200°C (top/bottom heat). Place the seasoned goose breast-side down in the roasting tin. Place on the lowest rack in the oven and roast uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, basting occasionally with the stock. After this time, turn the goose over and roast for another 1 1/4 hours, basting occasionally and skimming off the fat. You may need to add a little more water or, if you like, red wine. Place the goose breast-side up on the grill and roast for another 15 minutes, depending on how brown and crispy the skin is. Meanwhile, pour a little Calvados or cognac over the breast. In the remaining time, pass the sauce through a sieve. Then filter through a fat separator and pour the sauce into a saucepan. Bring the sauce to a boil and season again to taste. Thicken with a little cornstarch if desired.