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When we cook, regularly simmer poultry and game legs, as all the preparation is completed in advance. For the festive season, I often employ for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Accompany it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, although basmati rice, steamed baby potatoes or roast carrots are also excellent.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Colcannon

You can readily increase the portions 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 sliced
• 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
• 8 sage leaves preferably fresh
• 70ml white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
• 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

Method

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a oven-safe cast-iron frying pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then add them to the pan and brown, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, then add the aromatics and bacon. Cook on a medium-high heat several minutes, until the onions and bacon soften and color. Deglaze with the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the mixture. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then whisk in the dijon and creamy element. Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for an hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Pro Tip: While that's cooking, place the potato chunks in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for until tender, until tender when pricked with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then add the garlic for two minutes. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, mixing from time to time, for 10 to 15 minutes, until wilted. Season, then set aside.

In the meantime, in a pan, combine the milk and the rest of the butter. Once the potatoes are done, drain them, then put them back in the hot pot. Crush the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until smooth, then fold in the cooked cabbage and stir it through. Season again to taste, and reheat gently before serving.

After the hour is up, serve with the creamy potato side and the cooking liquid from the pan.