Roast Turkey with Chilli Butter Glaze

Roasted turkey profits very well from the addition of spices and elevates the flavour of the meat to new heights. The chilli butter glaze gives the turkey a slight kick whilst the citrus fruit and whole spices permeate through the bird in a very delicate yet evocative way. Served with a spiced gravy rounds off and perfectly compliments the spiced roast.

1 tsp Anise seed, green, organic
1 tsp+1pinch Ground Cinnamon, organic
2 Cinnamon quills, organic
1 Tbsp+2 Tsp Coriander seeds, organic
2 tsp Cumin seeds, organic
½ Tsp Ground Ginger, organic
1 pinch Sweet Paprika, organic
4 Star Anise, organic
3 tsp Crushed Bird's Eye Chilli, organic
For the Turkey
4 ½ -5 ½ kg oven-ready turkey, giblets removed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, quartered
2 oranges, quartered
2 red onions, peeled and quartered
Olive oil, to drizzle

Chilli Butter Glaze
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tsp sea salt
120ml olive oil

For the chillie butter
2 tsp chillie paste
150g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
½ tsp fine sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Runny honey, to drizzle

For the spiced gravy
800ml good chicken stock
1 onion, peeled and chopped
1 bay leaf
Few sprigs of thyme
2 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp clear honey
A little olive oil

Heat a small frying pan to a medium heat and dry roast the cumin seeds, anise seeds and coriander seeds for amount 1-2mins. Allow to cool and then grind in a grinder or pestle and mortar with the sea salt then combine with the chillie flakes and crushed garlic cloves and the olive oil to make a wet paste.

The chilli paste can be made and kept in a sterilized jar in the fridge for several weeks.

Preheat the oven to 190C. First, calculate the roasting time at 18 minutes per 450g. Pat the outside and inside of the turkey dry with kitchen paper.

To prepare the chillie butter, place the butter into a bowl and mash with a fork to loosen it. Beat in the chilli paste, salt, pepper and a little olive oil until well mixed. Use your fingers to carefully loosen the skin covering the breasts and thighs of the turkey, then push the chillie butter underneath the skin with your fingers. Rub the skin of the turkey to spread the butter evenly over the breasts and thighs. Tilt the turkey upwards and drizzle all over the cavity with olive oil, then stuff the cavity with the quartered lemons, oranges, onions and spices. Put the turkey on a lightly oiled roasting tin and drizzle over with a little more olive oil. Rub all over the skin with a generous pinch of salt, pepper and ground cinnamon.

Cover the breast of the turkey loosely with a large piece of foil and roast for the calculated time. Check the bird every hour and baste it with the pan juices. One hour before the end of cooking, remove the foil, baste, drizzle with a light coating of honey and return the turkey to the oven for the remaining time. As oven temperatures vary, check the turkey to see if it’s done 30 minutes before the end of cooking. To do so, pierce the thickest part of the thighs with a metal skewer and press lightly. If the juices run clear or pale golden, the turkey is ready. If the juices have a pinkish tinge, return to the oven for another 30 minutes.

When ready, transfer the turkey to a warm platter, cover with foil and leave to rest for about 20 minutes before carving.

Meanwhile, make the spiced gravy. Pour off the turkey juices into a heatproof jug and leave to cool for a few minutes. The fat will separate from the juices and will float to the surface. Add 3-4 tablespoons of the fat back to the roasting pan and skim off the rest. Mix the turkey juices with the stock and set aside.

Put the turkey roasting tin on the hob over medium heat. Add the onion and herbs and fry, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft. Stir in the flour and add the ground spices. Stir over medium heat for a few minutes until the spices are fragrant. Finally, pour in the stock and stir well. Let the liquid boil until thickened to a desired sauce consistency. Stir in the honey, taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Pour into a warmed gravy boat to serve.

Mixing the chilli butter with a little olive oil will prevent the butter from burning in the hot oven. Similarly, drizzling the cavity of the turkey with olive oil will help keep the inside of the bird from drying out.
Baste the turkey as it comes out of the oven to avoid the skin shrivelling as it cools

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