12- to 14-pound turkey
1 stick ( 1/2 cup) unsalted butter
8 sprigs mixed fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, rosemary, and/or marjoram
1 1/2 cups water

Gravy:
1 large onion
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
4 cups turkey giblet stock (recipe follows)
1/3 cup flour

Garnish: large bouquet of fresh herb sprigs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Fold neck skin under body and fasten with a small skewer. Using small skewers, secure wings to body. Transfer turkey to a rack set in a roasting pan and melt butter. Brush inside of turkey with some butter and season with salt and pepper. Put herb sprigs inside turkey.

Brush outside of turkey with remaining butter; season with salt and pepper. Loosely tie drumsticks together with kitchen string. Roast turkey in middle of oven 1 hour.

Add water to pan and roast turkey, basting every 20 minutes, for 2 more hours or until a meat thermometer inserted in fleshy part of a thigh registers 175 degress and juices run clear when thigh is pierced. Transfer turkey to a heated platter and reserve juices in pan. Remove skewers and discard string. Let turkey stand 30 minutes.

Gravy: While turkey is standing, finely chop onion. Skim fat from pan jucies and reserve 1/2 cup fat (for sauteing onions, below, and for stuffing.)

On top of stove, add wine to roasting pan and cook over moderately high heat, scraping up brown bits, and boil until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Add 4 cups stock and bring to a simmer. Pour through a sieve into a saucepan.

In large heavy skillet, saute onion in 1/4 cup reserved fat over moderately high heat, stirring frequently, until browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in flour and cook the mixture over moderately low heat, whisking 3 minutes.

Bring wine mixture to a simmer. Add to flour mixture in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps and simmer, whisking occasionally, 1 6minutes. Whisk in additional stock to thin
gravy to desired consistency.

Season with salt and pepper.

Garnish turkey with herb bouquet and serve with gravy. Serves 8.

TURKEY GIBLET STOCK

1 celery rib
1 carrot
1 onion
5 cups chicken broth
Neck and giblets (excluding liver) from turkey
1 bay leaf
8 sprigs mixed fresh herbs such as thyme, sage, rosemary and/or marjoram
1 teaspoon black peppercorns

Coarsely chop celery and carrot and quarter onion. In large deep saucepan, bring broth and water to a boil with celery, carrot, onion, neck and giblets, skimming froth.

Add remaining ingredients and cook, uncovered, at a bare simmer 2 hours, or until liquid is reduced to about 6 cups. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl. May be made 2 days ahead and cooled uncovered, before being chilled or frozen in a covered container. Makes 6 cups.

- From Gourmet