Roasted turkey breast with spices and thick gravy

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped (about the size of a golf ball)
• 1 lemon, completely zested
• 12 fresh sage leaves
• A handful of fresh parsley (about 0.5 cups from 12 sprigs)
• 3 tablespoons high-quality olive oil, plus a little extra to grease the pan
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 6 fresh bay leaves
• 4 tbsp (60 g) butter
• Two fillet halves turkey breasts with skin (from 0.9 to 1.3 kg each)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tbsp. plain flour
• 1/4 cup apple or plain brandy (Calvados is recommended)
• 2-3 cups apple cider
• Salt, pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 230°C. Grease a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Place the onion in the bowl of a food processor. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemon. Try to peel it off in thin strips, avoiding the bitter white pith. Add the zest to the processor bowl and set the lemon aside for later use. Process the lemon zest and onion in the processor. Add the sage, parsley, olive oil, and a teaspoon of salt and process until the mixture becomes a smooth, coarse paste.
3. Place the butter in a small frying pan, add two bay leaves, and cook over medium heat. Once the butter begins to shimmer, remove the pan and set aside.
4. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and carefully peel the skin off one edge to create a pocket. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add the resulting spice paste to the pocket, trying to distribute it evenly between the skin and the meat.
5. Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and place two bay leaves underneath them, one for each breast. Using a pastry brush, brush the chicken breasts with the butter and bay leaf mixture.
6. Place the baking sheet in the oven and reduce the temperature to 200°C. After about 20 minutes, pour the remaining melted butter and bay leaves over the breasts again and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breasts reads 75°C.
   Remove from the oven and transfer to a serving dish. Cover and let cool for about 10 minutes while you prepare the gravy.
7. Place the pan on the stove. Add the flour directly to the melted fat and stir for a few minutes at medium heat.
8. Pour in the apple brandy and scrape the pan to loosen any cooked bits. Heat for about a minute, until the alcohol evaporates. Continue stirring and add the apple cider. Continue simmering over low heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
9. Slice the turkey diagonally and serve with hot gravy.