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In our culinary practice, we often simmer drumsticks, as all the preparation is completed in advance. During the holidays, I often employ for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to enjoy them. Accompany it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, although fluffy rice, boiled new potatoes or caramelized carrots would also go great.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up for a larger gathering – all you need is 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 quartered
• 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 Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage:

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

Method

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of sunflower oil in a large, deep skillet. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then add them to the pan and fry, flipping once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the fat.

Add the butter in the pan, then add the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Sauté over medium-high heat five to 10 minutes, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Pour in the wine, then return the turkey on top of the aromatic base. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then whisk in the dijon and creamy element. Place a foil lid on the pan and bake for one hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Key Point: Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for until tender, until tender when pricked with a skewer.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then add the garlic for until aromatic. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a low heat, tossing now and then, for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Adjust the seasoning, then remove from the heat.

Using another small pot, warm the milk and the leftover butter. Once the potatoes are done, drain them, then mash them in the same pot. Crush the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until lump-free, then incorporate the greens and stir it through. Add final salt and pepper, and reheat gently before serving.

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