*Roast Turkey with Sage and Onion Butter*
Serves 8 with leftovers

Moist and delicious turkey with traditional flavours.

15 1/2 pound fresh turkey
2 onions, peeled and halved
1 lemon quartered
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 ounces soft butter (a generous 1/4 cup)
3 TBS finely chopped fresh sage
2 TBS plain flour
200ml (7 fluid ounces) Marsala wine
(can use Madiera)
14 to 18 fluid ounces of hot chicken stock (a generous 2 cups)
1 dessertspoon of cranberry jelly

Heat the oven to 170*C/325*F/gas mark 304.  Place the turkey in a large roasting tin.  Tuck 3 of the onion halves and the lemon into the cavity.  Season inside well with salt and pepper.  Cover the roasting tin tightly with foil, making sure you leave plenty of space for the air to circulate around the turkey, but making sure the foil is tightly placed so that no steam can escape.  Roast for 4 hours.

While the turkey is roasting, finely chop the remaining onion half and mix it with the butter and sage.  Remove the turkey at the end of the 4 hours.  Increase the oven temperature to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Brush the turkey all over with the sage and onion butter.  Return to the oven and roast for an additional 45 minutes, uncovered, until crisp and golden brown.  Transfer to a serving platter and loosely tent with foil to keep warm.  Allow to rest for half an hour while you make the gravy.

Tip the juices out of the pan into a bowl.  Allow to settle.  Skim any fat off the top, reserving 2 TBS of it.  Place the 2 TBS of fat back in the roasting tin.  Place the tin  over medium low heat.  Cook and stir to scrap up the solids from the bottom.  Stir in the flour, continuing to scrape the bottom of the pan for about 2 minutes.  Add the marsala or Madiera and bring to the boil.  Measure the reserved turkey juices.  You should have about 500ml (about 2 cups).  Make up with hot chicken stock to give you the required amount.  Pour into the tin with the cooked flour.  Cook and stir, bringing it to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes, then whisk in the cranberry jelly.  Keep warm until ready to serve.