SPLAYED TURKEY WITH HERBS

INGREDIENTS

Yield: 12 servings

Total time: 2½ hours, plus at least 24 hours’ brining 1 5kg turkey, giblets and neck removed and saved for stock 2 tbsp coarse kosher salt 1½ tsp black pepper

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1 bunch lemon thyme or regular thyme 10 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled 2 fresh or dried bay leaves 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, more for drizzling

Dry white wine, as needed, for the pan 1 large onion, halved and sliced 2cm thick (not thinner, or slices may burn)

METHOD

1. Using a sharp knife, cut through the skin that connects legs to the breast on both sides of the turkey. Press down on thighs until they pop out of the sockets and the legs lie flat.

2. In a small bowl, stir together salt, pepper and lemon zest. Smear mixture all over turkey, including inside the cavity. Pat herb sprigs and garlic all over bird. Stuff bay leaves into cavity. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight or for up to 2 nights.

3. Remove turkey from the refrigerator 1 hour before you want to roast it. Remove all but the top rack from the oven. (You can remove that, too, but if you leave it in, you’ll be able to roast something else at the same time as the turkey.)

4. Heat oven to 230C. Take all the herb sprigs and garlic cloves off the surface of the turkey and stuff them into the cavity.

5. Place a large, empty heavy-duty roasting pan on top of the stove, across two burners if possible. Heat up the pan for a minute or so, until the pan is quite hot. Add the oil, let it heat up for a few seconds, then add the turkey, breast side up, so the legs are parallel to the short sides of the pan and have room to flop open. Press down on the splayed legs so they touch the bottom of the pan. Let turkey sear for 5 minutes, pressing down on the legs occasionally. P r i n t e d a n d d i s t r i b u t e d b y P r e s s R e a d e r Pr e s s R e a d e r . c o m + 1 6 0 4 2 7 8 4 6 0 4 • O R I G I N A L C O P Y • O R I G I N A L C O P Y • O R I G I N A L C O P Y • O R I G I N A L C O P Y • O R I G I N A L C O P Y • O R I G I N A L C O P Y • C O P Y R I G H T A N D P R O T E C T E D B Y A P P L I C A B L E L A W

6. Pour enough wine to cover the bottom of the pan. Scatter onions around turkey and sprinkle them lightly with salt. Drizzle turkey and onions with a little oil.

7. Transfer pan to oven, setting it directly on the oven floor (not on a rack). Roast for 30 minutes.

8. Reduce heat to 175C, give the onions a stir, and if the bottom of the pan is dry, add a splash of wine to moisten the onions. As the turkey continues to cook, occasionally check the onions to make sure they don’t dry out or they may burn, adding wine as needed. Roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (but not touching the bone) reads 75C, about another 40-65 minutes. Transfer turkey to a cutting board and let rest for 20 minutes before carving.