Roast turkey with fresh herb stuffing

Serves 10-12 For the fresh herb stuffing, you will need:

175g butter

350g chopped onions

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

450g soft white breadcrumbs (can be gluten-free)

4 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (such as a mixture of parsley, thyme, chives, marjoram, lemon balm)

You will need:

A whole turkey, approximately 5kg in weight

75g soft butter for spreading over the turkey

For the gravy, you will need:

750ml turkey stock or chicken stock

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour 1 Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas 4. First, make the fresh herb stuffing. Put the 175g of butter in a saucepan and allow it to melt. Tip in the chopped onions, and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover with a lid, then cook the onions gently until they are soft — this will take about 10-15 minutes.

2 Stir in the soft white breadcrumbs and the chopped fresh herbs, and season again to taste with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Allow the stuffing to cool.

3 While the stuffing is cooling, wash and dry the cavity of the bird. Remove the wishbone from the neck end of the turkey, for ease of carving later.

4 Season the cavity with some with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place most of the cooled stuffing into the cavity at the leg end of the turkey, ensuring that it’s not packed completely full (you need to allow a bit of space for the heat to get in under the breastbone — you should be able to push the handle of a wooden spoon in under the breast). Put the remainder of the stuffing into the crop at the neck end.

5 Weigh the turkey and calculate the cooking time. Allow 15 minutes per 450g, and 15 minutes on top of the total cooking time.

6 Place the turkey on a large roasting tray, spread the 75g of soft butter over the breast and the legs, and season the whole turkey with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Now put the stuffed prepared bird into the preheated oven for the calculated amount of time, depending on the weight. The turkey is cooked when the juices run clear. I like to stick a small knife into the thigh of the turkey and hold a spoon under it to catch the juices to check that they’re not pink. If they’re still pink, the bird needs longer in the oven, but if you’ve calculated the cooking time, then the bird should be cooked.

7 Remove the turkey to a carving dish, keep it warm and allow it to rest while you make the gravy from the juices in the tray.

8 To make the gravy, spoon or pour off the surplus fat from the roasting tray. Pour the turkey stock or the chicken stock, whichever you’re using, into the degreased juices in the tray (see my Gravy Tip, above left) and place the tray on the hob. Use a whisk to mix the juices — this will help to dissolve the lovely golden nuggets of flavour stuck to the bottom of the tray.

9 In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add in the flour. Cook over a medium heat for one minute. This is your roux. Now pour the gravy from the roasting tray, through a sieve, into a saucepan. Bring it up to the boil, and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary. While it’s boiling, gradually add in the roux, using a whisk, until you’re happy with the consistency. You might not need all the roux; it’ll keep in the fridge for another time. Pour the gravy into a hot gravy boat. Carve the turkey and serve with the stuffing and the hot gravy.