Ingredients
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 lemon, grated zest only
110g/4oz butter
1 onion, halved but not peeled
approx. 7lb (3.15kg) turkey, thawed if frozen, giblets removed
225g/8oz streaky bacon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1. Preheat oven to 180C /350F/Gas 4.
2. Mix the thyme, lemon zest and butter together, season with black pepper. Lay between two layers of greaseproof paper and flatten out. Chill in the freezer for approx. 5 minutes until firm.
3. Put the onion, leftover lemon (that has been zested) into the cavity of the bird: loosen the skin of the breast by sliding your fingers gently between the flesh and skin. Take the lemon butter and fit the firm pieces between the skin and the breast meat.
4. Smooth the skin back over and tuck the flap underneath. Tie the legs together. Lay the bacon, overlapping across the top of the turkey.
5. Place in a roasting tin which has been lined, cover the turkey loosely with aluminium foil. Cook for 20 minutes per pound and then an extra 20 minutes. Baste after 1 hour and the every 30 minutes, recover with foil each time.
6. For the last 30 minutes of cooking, remove the foil to let the turkey brown.
7. When cooked remove the turkey from the oven and let it rest of 15 minutes. Place on your platter and decorate with holly, bay leaves and some fresh winter pansies.
