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When we cook, regularly slow-cook poultry and game legs, as all the preparation is finished ahead of time. For the festive season, I often employ on the holiday bird's legs – it’s a lovely way to eat them. Accompany it with colcannon, although fluffy rice, steamed baby potatoes or roast carrots are also excellent.

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

This can easily be scaled up for extra guests – simply require 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, diced
• 8 sage leaves preferably fresh
• 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 minced
• ½ savoy cabbage, shredded
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Directions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Heat two tablespoons of neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high cast-iron frying pan. Season the turkey legs, then add them to the pan and brown, cooking on both sides, until nicely coloured on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then remove the fat.

Place the butter in the pan, followed by the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Cook on a medium-high heat until fragrant, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Add the white wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the aromatic base. Add enough chicken 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 about 60 minutes, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Pro Tip: While that's cooking, place the potato chunks in a large saucepan of water and cook for around 20 minutes, until soft when tested with a skewer.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for until softened, until soft. Add salt and pepper, then remove from the heat.

Using another small pot, heat the milk gently and the leftover butter. Once the potatoes are done, drain them, then return them to their pan. Mash the potatoes with the creamy liquid until creamy, 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 creamy potato side and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.