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In our culinary practice, frequently slow-cook chicken and rabbit legs, because all the preparation is completed ahead of time. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – this creates a delicious method for serving them. Accompany it with buttery potato and greens, though fluffy rice, boiled new potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

This can easily be scaled up for extra guests – you’ll just need a bigger pot.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Main Dish:

• Sunflower oil or a mild cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 bone-in turkey legs or drumsticks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 70ml white wine a dry variety
• 60-100ml chicken stock
• ½ tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream

For the Colcannon:

• 500g large floury potatoes like Russets, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
• ½ savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Directions

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high cast-iron frying pan. Season the turkey legs, then lay them in the pan and brown, cooking on both sides, until nicely coloured on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then pour out and discard the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Sauté over medium-high heat five to 10 minutes, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Deglaze with the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the aromatic base. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then gently mix in the dijon and creamy element. Place a foil lid on the pan and bake for an hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Chef's Note: Meanwhile, place the potato chunks in a large saucepan of water and cook for until tender, until tender when pricked with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then sauté the garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Add salt and pepper, then remove from the heat.

In a third saucepan, warm the milk and the leftover butter. Once the potatoes are done, drain them, then return them to their pan. Puree the potatoes with the creamy liquid until smooth, then fold in the cooked cabbage and combine well. Add final salt and pepper, and reheat gently before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, serve with the colcannon and the cooking liquid from the pan.