easy step-by-steps to turkey breast with festive stuffing

Preparation time 30 mins plus 1 hour freezing Cooking time 1 hour 40 mins Serves 8-12

2kg double turkey breast, boned,

skin on (see Cook’s tip, opposite) Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground

black pepper, to season

50g butter, chopped, at

room temperature

2 Tbsp thyme leaves, plus

extra to garnish

12 eschalots, tops trimmed, peeled 2 bunches red seedless grapes 60ml Australian Tawny

FESTIVE STUFFING

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 25g butter, chopped

1 red onion, finely diced

1½ cups breadcrumbs made from day-old sourdough cup dried cranberries

2 Tbsp pistachios, finely chopped 2 Tbsp almonds, finely chopped 2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves 1 free-range egg

Finely grated zest of 1 orange Finely grated zest of 1 lemon Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground

black pepper, to season

STEP 1 To make stuffing, heat oil, butter and onion in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. STEP 2 Put turkey breast, skin side down, on a large sheet of plastic wrap. STEP 3 Use a knife to carefully make a slit on both breasts, at the thickest end, without cutting all the way through and then fold meat out to butterfly. Season.

STEP 4 Form stuffing into a log and put lengthways down centre of the turkey, between breasts.

STEP 5 Roll turkey up tightly to enclose stuffing. Form a log, tucking in skin and fat at ends, using plastic wrap to help you. Freeze for 1 hour. This will help to keep its shape. You can also refrigerate overnight at this point if desired.

STEP 6 Preheat oven to 200°C fanforced (220°C conventional). Line a large roasting tray with baking paper.

STEP 7 Remove plastic and secure turkey firmly with kitchen twine, at 3cm intervals, then tie a final piece of string lengthways around the roast.

STEP 8 Rub butter into skin. Scatter turkey with thyme, then season. Transfer to prepared tray. Pour 60ml of water into base of tray.

STEP 9 Roast for 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 170°C fan-forced (190°C conventional), add eschalots to tray and roast for a further 1 hour, basting turkey and eschalots with tray juices. Cook until juices from the turkey run clear when tested with a skewer or internal temperature reaches 74°C.

STEP 10 Remove turkey from oven and set aside on a chopping board covered loosely with foil. Increase oven to 200°C fan-forced (220°C conventional), add grapes and Tawny to oven tray with eschalots and gently toss to coat in tray juices, then bake for 15 minutes or until grapes have blistered.

STEP 11 Arrange turkey on a wooden serving board with grapes and eschalots. Drizzle tray juices over the top, then garnish with extra thyme. Serve.