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At our kitchen, we often slow-cook chicken and rabbit legs, because all the preparation is finished ahead of time. For Christmas, the same technique is perfect for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, though steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or oven-roasted carrots would also go great.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

This can easily be scaled up for a larger gathering – all you need is an enlarged cooking vessel.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Main Dish:

• Sunflower oil or another neutral oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 bone-in turkey legs or drumsticks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
• 5 slices streaky bacon, cut into pieces
• 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 Potato Side:

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

Directions

Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls 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, cooking on both sides, until beautifully seared on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the fat.

Place the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Fry for until fragrant, until the onions and bacon soften and color. Pour in the wine, then return the turkey on top of the vegetables. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then gently mix in the dijon and creamy element. Cover the pan with foil and roast for one hour, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Chef's Note: At the same time, add the peeled potatoes 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 add the garlic for two minutes. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, tossing now and then, for until softened, until soft. Adjust the seasoning, then keep warm.

Using another small pot, heat the milk gently and the remaining butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Puree the potatoes with the heated dairy mixture until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and mix it in thoroughly. Add final salt and pepper, and hold over low heat before serving.

After the hour is up, dish up with the colcannon and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.