• A 10lb (4.5kg) goose will serve 8-plus people
• 8 small Bramley or Cox apples
• 1 tablespoon sultanas
• 1 tablespoon raisins
• 6 soft prunes
• 3 pieces of stem ginger
• 2 teaspoon light muscovado sugar
• 50g (2oz) butter
• Grated nutmeg

* Preheat the oven to 200C (400F, Gas mark 6). Prick the goose down the sides with a carving fork and rub the whole bird with salt. Season the inside of the bird and put some aromatic herbs in as well, such as sage, thyme and rosemary. Cover the legs with foil to protect them and place the goose upside down on a metal rack over a large roasting tin. Roast for 1 hour then turn the goose back up, so that the breast side is showing, and reduce the oven temperature to 170C (325F, Gas mark 3) and roast for a further 2-2½ hours depending on the type of oven. Check periodically and pour off any excess fat. Allow to rest for half an hour before carving. About an hour before the end of the cooking time, core the apples through the bases. Mix the dried fruits and sugar together and stuff the apples with it. Place a knob of butter on top of the apples and place on a tray and cook until just beginning to collapse. Serve the goose with the apples, braised red cabbage, stuffing and, of course, gravy.