In a bowl, mix together the ingredients mentioned above for the mixture under the skin. Adding olive oil prevents the butter from burning.

Season the cavity of the turkey with salt and pepper. Place the halved onions into the cavity to give a lovely sweetness. Then place the lemon and bay leaves into the cavity for a bitter sweet spicy flavor. The turkey must now be upright as the cavity is filled.

Now gently lift the skin off the flesh from the back of the breast. Gently loosen it with your fingers to create enough space to place the butter mixture. Be careful not to tear the skin, as all the butter will ooze out during the cooking process. Loosen the skin off the top of the thighs and then turn the bird around. Loosen the skin from the front as well.

Now make small balls of the butter mixture and place it under the skin. Then pull back the skin gently and press the butter balls to spread it around. Ensure the entire breast is lined with the mixture. This will keep the turkey breast moist. Use the left over butter mixture over the top of the breast, legs and thighs. (Do this the night before, cover the turkey with tin foil and place in the fridge)

Preheat oven to 220 C.

On Christmas day, place the turkey in baking pan and drizzle with olive oil over the top (Ensure the turkey is at room temperature). Place in the oven at 220 C for 10 mins to quickly brown the bird.

After 10 mins take the turkey out of the oven and baste with its juice from the pan. Then place streaky bacon over the top of the breast. This protects the breast and stops it from drying out. Baste the turkey again with its juice from the pan.

Turn down the oven to 180 C. Cook the bird for 2 1/2 hours and basting every 1/2 hour or 1/2 hour cooking time per kg.

To test the turkey is cooked, stick a knife in the bottom of the thigh and see if the juices run clear. Then cover the turkey and allow to rest for 2 1/2 hours or 1/2 hour per kg resting time. It might seem a long time for the turkey to rest but remember the turkey does not need to be piping hot as you are serving the turkey with hot gravy. The longer you rest turkey the more flavorful it gets.

Drain the excess fat from the baking pan and place the pan back on the heat. Remove the bacon strips from the top off the breast and chop it to bits. Remove the onion from the cavity, peel the skin and dice it.

Add the bacon and onion to the baking pan. Add rosemary sprigs, and chopped tomatoes. Mix well. Then add the excess trimmings from the turkey. Then pour in the dry cider to bring a lovely apple flavor. As the cider reduces, pour the resting juices from the turkey.

When the liquid has reduced by half, mash the pieces in the gravy to extract the most juices out of it. Then add chicken stock and reduce again. Taste the gravy. Then sieve it. Use the back of a ladle to push it through the sieve. Pop in a sprig of rosemary and leave it to infuse.

Add walnuts to the bottom of the gravy boat and ladle in the gravy. Now it is ready to serve with the turkey.