Gordon Ramsay's roast turkey crown

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.

2. For the herb butter, mix the butter and herbs together to form a paste, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Lift up the skin of the turkey with your fingers and separate it from the flesh. Spread the herb butter under the skin (this is a bit messy but keeps the turkey moist so it's well worth the effort). Season all over with salt and pepper and transfer to a roasting tin.

4. Cook the crown for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4 and cook the turkey for 1½ hours, or until the juices run clear. Cover the turkey with foil and tea towels and set aside in a warm place to rest for 30 minutes before carving. Reserve the juices for the gravy.

5. For the stuffing, melt the butter in a large frying pan over a low–medium heat and gently fry the onion for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in the herbs for 1 minute then add the breadcrumbs and stir gently to absorb the butter. Mix in the lemon zest, pine nuts and season with salt and pepper. Cook over a medium heat for about 7 minutes until the breadcrumbs start to brown and crisp. Take off the heat, mix in the parsley and serve warm.

6. For the gravy, gently fry the onion in the olive oil for about 5 minutes. Pour in the wine and add the thyme and bay leaf. Boil until the volume of the liquid is reduced by three-quarters.

7. Add the stock and boil until reduced by half. Stir in the cream and simmer for further 5 minutes. Season with freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and let it cool for 10 minutes. Add the roasting juices from the turkey roasting tin, cook for 2 minutes to reheat. Taste and season with salt if needed and strain if necessary.

8. Serve the turkey in slices alongside the warm stuffing and creamy gravy.