Christmas turkey crown with bacon lattice

Description
My Christmas turkey crown is perfect for a smaller gathering; it’s easy to carve, too. You can buy the crown on or off the bone: I prefer it on the bone as it gives more flavour and helps the crown stand upright.
Ingredients
- 25g/1oz butter, softened
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 small lemon, zest finely grated
- 1 large turkey crown, on the bone (about 3.5kg/7lb 11oz with wings, or 2.7kg/6lb without wings)
- 6 rashers smoked streaky bacon
- 1 rosemary stalk
- 1 leek, thinly sliced
- 450ml/16fl oz chicken stock
- 200ml/7fl oz dry white wine
- salt and pepper
- for the gravy
- 3 tbsp plain flour
- 2 tsp redcurrant jelly
- dash worcestershire sauce
- dash gravy browning
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7.
- Mix the butter, paprika and lemon zest in a small bowl, seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Pat the turkey skin dry using kitchen towel. Spread the butter mixture all over the breasts. Weave the bacon slices in a lattice pattern on top of the butter. Snip tiny sprigs of rosemary from the stalk and poke them through the bacon lattice into the breast skin, at random intervals.
- Scatter the leek slices in a large, deep roasting tin and pour over the stock and wine. Put a rack on top, sit the turkey crown on the rack and cover loosely with foil. Roast for 1 hour.
- Remove the foil and roast for a further 30 minutes, or until the turkey is golden-brown and cooked through. To test, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the meat – if the juices run clear, the bird is cooked. Transfer the turkey to a board, cover with kitchen foil and towels, and rest for at least 20 minutes (and up to an hour). Reserve the roasting tin for making the gravy later.
- Strain the leeks, wine and stock through a sieve into a large jug. Discard the leeks.
- To make the gravy, skim off the fat from the top of the jug. Put about 3 tablespoons of the fat into the roasting tin. Put the tin over a medium heat and sprinkle in the flour, whisking until smooth. Gradually pour in the liquid from the jug, whisking continuously to make a smooth gravy. Whisk in the redcurrant jelly, Worcestershire sauce, gravy browning and any juices from the resting turkey, check the seasoning and pour into a serving jug.
- Carve thin slices of turkey and serve with the gravy.