Ingredients
2kg double turkey breast, boned, skin on (see Cook's tip, below)
Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season
50g butter, chopped, at room temperature
2 Tbsp thyme leaves, plus extra to garnish
12 eschalots, tops trimmed, peeled
2 bunches red seedless grapes
60ml Australian Tawny
Festive stuffing
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
25g butter, chopped
1 red onion, finely diced
1½ cups breadcrumbs made from day-old sourdough
⅓ cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp pistachios, finely chopped
2 Tbsp almonds, finely chopped
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 free-range egg
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper, to season
Method
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To make stuffing, heat oil, butter and onion in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion is soft. Transfer onion mixture to a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
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Put turkey breast, skin side down, on a large sheet of plastic wrap.
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Use a knife to carefully make a slit on both breasts, at the thickest end, without cutting all the way through and then fold meat out to butterfly. Season.
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Form stuffing into a log and put lengthways down centre of the turkey, between breasts.
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Roll turkey up tightly to enclose stuffing. Form a log, tucking in skin and fat at ends, using plastic wrap to help you. Freeze for 1 hour. This will help to keep its shape. You can also refrigerate overnight at this point if desired.
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Preheat oven to 200 degrees C fan-forced (220 degrees C conventional). Line a large roasting tray with baking paper.
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Remove plastic and secure turkey firmly with kitchen twine, at 3cm intervals, then tie a final piece of string lengthways around the roast.
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Rub butter into skin. Scatter turkey with thyme, then season. Transfer to prepared tray. Pour 60ml of water into base of tray.
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Roast for 20 minutes. Reduce oven to 170 degrees C fan-forced (190 degrees C conventional), add eschalots to tray and roast for a further 1 hour, basting turkey and eschalots with tray juices. Cook until juices from the turkey run clear when tested with a skewer or internal temperature reaches 74 degrees C.
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Remove turkey from oven and set aside on a chopping board covered loosely with foil. Increase oven to 200 degrees C fan-forced (220 degrees C conventional), add grapes and Tawny to oven tray with eschalots and gently toss to coat in tray juices, then bake for 15 minutes or until grapes have blistered.
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Arrange turkey on a wooden serving board with grapes and eschalots. Drizzle tray juices over the top, then garnish with extra thyme. Serve.
COOK'S TIP
You can order a double turkey breast from the butcher or your local poultry shop. A double turkey breast is essentially a turkey buffe that has been de-boned. If you're feeling adventurous, you could de-bone it yourself. It's important to keep the two breasts and skin attached for easy stuffing and rolling.
