Roast turkey with festive stuffing

Take the turkey out of the fridge half an hour before you are going to start roasting. Put it on the washed kitchen surface and clean with damp kitchen roll. Preheat the oven to 240º. Stuff the turkey

Rub the butter all over the turkey with your hands. Do the same with the salt and pepper. Tie the legs together with string or foil. This will prevent the stuffing from spilling out during roasting time. Put the turkey on the oven tray and give your hands a good wash in warm soapy water. Cover the roasting tray with foil and put the whole thing in the oven. After 20 minutes put the oven down to 165º

After one and a half hours, take the turkey out and take the foil off. It will look like this. Put it back in the oven for another hour and a half.

During this time every half hour pour the turkey juices over the turkey to keep it moist

When you think the turkey is done, pierce the part joining the leg to the body with a skewer. If the juices come out clean, the turkey is cooked. If they are murky, it needs more time.

Put the excess juices into the stock you have made for the gravy. Turn the oven off and put some serving plates in - they will warm up nicely while the turkey is resting.

Put the turkey onto the carving board or plate and let it rest for half an hour before carving. While the turkey is resting, pour the gravy into the oven tray to get all the little tasty bits that have stuck to the tin

Use a very sharp knife to carve the turkey and arrange on the warmed plates with the stuffing. Uncork the wine, pull the crackers and enjoy :-)