This recipe gives you the flexibility of having up to two centrepiece meals from one turkey, serving 4 or 8 people

Preparation time: 30min
Cooking time: 95min
Serves: 4 or 8 (with leftovers)

1. To make one roulade for four: place the ingredients for the herb paste into a food processor, then blend to make a coarse paste. Season if needed and transfer to a bowl. Press a layer of clingfilm directly against the surface and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Joint the turkey (see steps below).
2. Preheat the oven to 200ºC, gas mark 6. Take one of the breasts and legs. Rub the leg with 1 tbsp vegetable oil and season well. Place to one side of a large roasting tin and put in the oven for 20 minutes. (Chill or freeze the turkey if only cooking for 4.)
3. Meanwhile, make a deep incision in the side of the breast, about 2/3 of the way through, opening it up flat like a book. Season, then put a large sheet of clingfilm on the work surface, with a large sheet of greaseproof paper on top. Lay the bacon rashers, short ends closest to you and stretching them as you go, in a slightly overlapping single layer, until about the same size as the butterflied breast. Put the turkey on top and spread with the chilled herb paste. Roll up very tightly, using the paper and clingfilm to help, to form a long cylinder. Discard the paper and clingfilm. Tie tightly in several places with cooks’ string and rub with the remaining vegetable oil.
4. Add the tied roulade to the baking tray beside the leg and return to the oven. After 5 minutes, reduce the temperature to 170ºC, gas mark 3 and then continue to roast for 65-70 minutes, basting once or twice, until the leg and roulade are thoroughly cooked, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat. Leave to rest for 15 minutes, then divide the leg into a thigh and drumstick and cut the roulade into slices. Serve with the usual festive trimmings.

Cook’s tip

The other leg and breast can be chilled or frozen for later. You can double the herb paste and repeat. The bones can be used for stock/gravy another time.

Recipe and image courtesy of Waitrose & Partners