Ingredients

• 2.2kg/4lb 14oz turkey crown
• 2 tsp chopped thyme leaves
• 50g/1¾oz butter
• softened
• 2 small oranges
• one thinly sliced
• one cut in half
• 1-2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp plain flour
• 6 tbsp port
• 450ml/¾ pint hot turkey or chicken stock
• splash Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• Loosen the skin on the turkey crown by pushing your fingers (or rubber spatula) between the skin and the meat
• moving it around to get to the tricky places and taking care not to tear the skin.
• Mix the thyme leaves with the softened butter until well combined
• then smear the mixture underneath the skin of the bird. Arrange the orange slices in two neat rows under the skin
• on top of the herb butter.
• Place one of the orange halves under the skin at the neck end of the bird
• and any orange trimmings in the neck cavity.
• Transfer the turkey crown to a small roasting tray. Rub all over with the oil and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Roast in the oven for about 1½-2 hours
• or until the juices run clear when the turkey is pierced in the thickest part with a skewer and no traces of pink remain. During cooking
• check the turkey every 30 minutes
• baste occasionally and cover with aluminium foil if it is browning too quickly.
• About 15 minutes before the end of cooking
• squeeze the juice from the remaining half-orange over the turkey. Return the turkey to the oven
• uncovered
• to allow the skin to crisp up.
• Transfer the turkey crown to a serving platter and set aside to rest
• covered in foil
• for 30 minutes. Reserve the meat juices left in the roasting tray.
• For the gravy
• pour the juices from the roasting tray into a jug and allow to settle. Skim all but 4 tablespoons of the fat from the top
• then tip the remaining gravy into a saucepan and heat over a medium heat until the gravy is just simmering.
• Whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth and well combined
• then pour in the port and stock and whisk again until smooth. Continue to simmer the gravy until it starts to thicken
• then add a few drops of Worcestershire sauce and the soy sauce.
• Bring the gravy to the boil
• adding any remaining turkey juices released while the meat was resting. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper
• then decant into a warmed serving jug and serve with the turkey.