ROASTED TURKEY WITH GARLIC-HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with rack in center. Place the garlic head on a square of aluminum foil, and drizzle with oil. Loosely wrap garlic, and roast until fragrant and very soft, about 1 hour. Remove from oven; let cool.
• In a small bowl, combine herbs and butter. Slice off tip of roasted garlic head with a serrated knife; discard. Squeeze garlic head firmly over bowl to release softened cloves. Season with salt and pepper, and mix until smooth.
• Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees. Rinse turkey with cool water; pat dry. Tuck wing tips under body. Place turkey on a roasting rack in a heavy roasting pan; add 1/2 cup water to pan.
• Using your hands, gently separate skin from turkey breast at both ends; smear one-fourth to one-third of herb butter between skin and meat. Smear exterior and cavity with remaining herb butter.
• Roast until skin begins to brown, 50 to 55 minutes (tent with foil if herbs begin to burn). Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees; continue to roast turkey, basting with additional butter, until a leg rotates easily in the joint, 70 to 90 minutes more (depending on size of turkey). Insert an instant-read thermometer into thickest part of thigh (avoid the bone) to see if temperature has reached 180 degrees; if not, baste turkey, return to oven, and roast until temperature is 180 degrees. Let turkey rest, loosely covered with foil, at least 30 minutes before carving. Arrange turkey on a platter with onions, and serve.