Roast chicken or roast turkey recipes are, without a doubt, one of the simplest to prepare and the most successful when presented on the table. It's as easy as putting the main piece in the pot accompanied by those elements that will give it flavor (herbs and spices), a good splash of oil and, from then on, the oven will do all the work.

Today's recipe takes on an autumnal touch by accompanying the turkey with chestnuts and mushrooms . What we will do, to give it a slightly different touch, is to caramelize that accompaniment before introducing it into the cocotte. A very simple step but it will help to acquire a special touch.

I hope this recipe will accompany you on Sundays or family holidays. All the diners will smile at you when you bring the result to the table.

Ingredients (for 4-6 people)

• A turkey from 3 to 4Kg (you can also do it with chicken)
• 2 fresh sprigs of thyme, sage and rosemary
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 large nuts of butter
• 3 onions
• 1 spoon of sugar
• 100gr of bacon (bacon) cut into squares
• 250gr of mushrooms cut in half
• 400g of peeled chestnuts
• Salt and pepper, and pimento d'Espelette (optional)

Le Creuset oval cocotte, Le Creuset grinders, and Le Creuset damascus steel knives

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to preheat to 180ºC.
2. Stuff turkey with thyme sprigs, sage and rosemary, bay leaves, and garlic. Add salt and pepper inside.
3. Add the butter in the iron cocotte , and put the turkey in it. Season it on the outside with salt and pepper and add the oil to the cocotte, also spraying the turkey at the same time.
4. Introduce more garlic around the turkey and more rosemary and bay leaf if you want, it will be more aromatic.
5. Put the cocotte in the oven for about 1 hour to 1 hour and a half, without the lid. Throughout cooking, you can sprinkle the turkey with its own juices with the help of a spoon.
6. In an iron skillet , put the onion, the diced bacon, the olive oil and the sugar to caramelize for three minutes. When the three minutes have passed, add the chestnuts and the seasoned mushrooms and stir to mix well.
7. Next, add this mixture around the turkey and leave it in the oven for another 30 minutes, also without the cocotte lid.

Grades

• We have used turkey but you can follow the recipe exactly the same using chicken, either whole or quartered.
• If you use a whole chicken or turkey, it is recommended to use an oval cocotte , it has the perfect shape for it. In case of cutting it into quarters, you can use a round cocotte .
• You can substitute the use of butter, but be generous in the use of oil, it will be better roasted, tasty and tender (in the absence of it it will also be drier).