Name: Easy turkey crown
Total time: 2 h
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 2-3kg turkey breast crown; 2 small echalion shallots roughly chopped; 100g butter softened; a handful of leaves sage; 1 large onion cut into thick slices; 2 carrots halved lengthways; 2 sticks celery halved; 500ml red wine; 4 tbsp port; 300ml strong chicken stock; 1 tbsp mashed with 1 tbsp of softened butter plain flour; 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly

2-3kg turkey breast crown
2 small echalion shallots
roughly chopped
100g butter
softened
a handful of leaves sage
1 large onion
cut into thick slices
2 carrots
halved lengthways
2 sticks celery
halved
500ml red wine
4 tbsp port
300ml strong chicken stock
1 tbsp mashed with 1 tbsp of softened butter plain flour
2 tbsp redcurrant jelly

Method

step 1
Take the turkey crown out of the fridge an hour before you want to start cooking. Weigh the crown and calculate the cooking time at 20 minutes per kg, plus 1 hour (so a 2kg crown will take 1 hour 40 minutes; a 3kg crown will take 2 hours). Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
step 2
To make the herb butter, whizz the shallots, butter, sage and some seasoning in a small food processor. Starting from the fattest end of each breast, start to wiggle your fingers in between the skin and the flesh until you have a large pocket on either side. Push and spread the butter into the pockets then smooth down the skin.
step 3
Scatter the vegetables on the bottom of a roasting tin and drizzle with a little oil. Season and toss. Sit the crown on top, then roast for your calculated time until the skin is golden and the meat is cooked through (to check, pierce the thickest part of the breast with a skewer – the juices should run clear). Take the crown out of the tin onto a large platter and leave to rest, covered with foil, for at least 30 minutes before carving.
step 4
Tip all the vegetables and juices from the roasting tin into a large pan with the red wine, port and stock. Boil until the liquid reduces by 2/3, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface.
step 5
Strain the liquid into a jug then pour back in the pan. Bring back to a simmer then add the flour and butter mixture a little at a time and whisk into the liquid. Simmer for another 3-4 minutes until thickened a little, then stir in the redcurrant jelly and simmer, stirring for a couple of minutes until the jelly melts. Serve with the turkey.