Burnt lemon & thyme butter turkey crown

Method

• step 1

  If you have the time, the day before you want to roast the turkey, heat a frying pan or griddle pan over a high heat and sear the cut sides of the lemon halves for 5 mins until well charred. Leave to cool slightly, then squeeze the juice into a bowl and add the lemon zest. Pick the leaves off most of the thyme sprigs, reserving a few whole sprigs, and add the leaves to the bowl along with the garlic, butter and a large pinch of salt. Mash everything together. Will keep chilled for up to a day. Scatter the onions into a roasting tin, sit the turkey crown on top and season well. Will keep covered and chilled for up to 24 hrs. Alternatively, you can prepare the butter and crown on the day you wish to serve.

• step 2

  If you’ve chilled the butter and crown, remove both from the fridge 1-2 hrs before roasting to come to room temperature. Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Smear the flavoured butter all over the turkey skin, then roast the turkey for 1 hr 30 mins, basting every 30 mins or so until golden and cooked through – a digital thermometer should read 70C when inserted in the thickest part of the breast. Leave to rest for at least 20 mins before carving, reserving the onions and roasting juices from the tin to use in the gravy recipe, right. If you like, sear more lemon halves in a hot pan to serve alongside the turkey crown. Garnish with the whole thyme sprigs and, if you have them, a few bay leaves, too.