Ingredients
- 2kg turkey crown
- 1tbsp ras-el-hanout spice mix
- 1tsp thyme leaves
- Salt and black pepper
- 140g soft butter
- 20ml chicken stock
- 6 medium carrots
- 3tbsp olive oil
- 2 bay leaves
- Zest of half an orange
- Juice of 1 orange
- 100g whole blanched almonds
- 8 Medjool dates, stoned and quartered
1 Set the oven to 185 degrees.
2 Add the ras-el-hanout, orange, thyme, salt and pepper into the butter and mix well.
3 With your fingers, or a spatula, gently loosen the skin from the meat of the turkey, taking care not to tear it.
4 Push the butter underneath the skin, making sure all the meat is covered. Leave some butter for the outside of the bird and smear it all over the skin.
5 Place the turkey on a high trivet in the centre of a deep roasting tray. This will allow the carrots to go underneath later.
6 Pour the chicken stock into the roasting tin, cover the turkey with foil and cook for one hour. Meanwhile, peel and top the carrots, then cut them at an angle, one centimetre thick and set aside.
7 Remove the foil from the bird, baste it well, then add the carrots, olive oil and bay leaves to the tray and put back in the oven.
8 Cook the turkey for 25 minutes uncovered. It should be golden with a light spicy crust.
9 Remove it from the tray, along with the trivet, then cover with foil and allow to rest.
10 Add the orange juice and the almonds to the carrots, then return the tray to the oven for 20 minutes, turning the carrots once or twice.
11 When the carrots are soft and the almonds golden, add the dates and stir through.
12 Slice the turkey and serve with the glazed carrots, almonds and sprout champ.
