Roast potatoes and apples with bacon and herb salt

Method

1. For the bacon and herb salt, heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6. Line a roasting tray with foil, lay out the bacon rashers and cook for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until completely crisp. Five minutes before the end of cooking, sprinkle over the sage and rosemary leaves. Once everything is crisp, pat dry with kitchen paper and remove to a wire rack to cool.
2. Put the crisp bacon, cooked and fresh herbs and salt into a food processor or mini chopper, and whizz (or pound with a pestle and mortar) to coarse crumbs. Put in an airtight container and set aside.
3. Put the potatoes in a pan of well-salted boiling water and cook at a brisk boil for about 10 minutes until nearly cooked (you don’t want them too soft but the longer you dare leave them, the crisper they’ll be once roasted). Drain, leave to steam for a minute, then return to the pan. Add the flour and some salt and toss gently, trying not to break them up. Meanwhile, put the goose fat into your largest available roasting tin. Heat in the oven until the fat has melted and is starting to spit.
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4. Remove and carefully scatter the potatoes into the tin, tossing in the hot fat to coat. Roast for 50-60 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the apple wedges after 20 minutes. They’re ready when the potatoes are crisp and golden and the apples are caramelised and chewy. Scatter a little herb and bacon salt over the top just before serving (see tip).