ROAST TURKEY
Serves 6-8 with leftovers
Preparation time 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes resting
Cooking time about 2½-3 hours
INGREDIENTS
• 1 lemon
• 80g/31/oz butter, softened
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 medium turkey (weighing 4-5kg/8lb 13oz-11lb)
• Chestnut stuffing, cooled (see recipe, right)
• 12 rashers streaky bacon
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
1. Preheat the oven to 190°C, Fan 170°C, Gas 5. Line a large roasting tray with aluminium foil.
2. Halve the lemon then squeeze a little of one half into the butter. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper and mix well.
Put the turkey on to a clean work counter and untruss it (if it’s trussed). Gently ease the breast skin away from the meat, using one hand to keep the skin taut as you use the other to carefully separate it. Smear 3/of the butter mixture over the breast meat