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At our kitchen, frequently simmer poultry and game legs, since all the preparation is completed beforehand. For the festive season, I often employ for turkey legs – it’s a lovely way for serving them. Accompany it with colcannon, but steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent.

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

You can readily increase the portions to feed more people – you’ll just need 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 diced
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 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 diced
• ½ savoy cabbage, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Method

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a large, deep skillet. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then lay them in the pan and sear, flipping once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Cook on a medium-high heat several minutes, until the aromatics begin to brown. Pour in the wine, then return the turkey on top of the vegetables. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then gently mix in the dijon and creamy element. Place a foil lid on the pan and cook in the oven for one hour, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Chef's Note: While that's cooking, add the peeled potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until soft when tested with a skewer.

Using a separate skillet, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a low heat, mixing from time to time, for until softened, until wilted. Adjust the seasoning, then keep warm.

In a third saucepan, combine the milk and the remaining butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Mash the potatoes with the creamy liquid until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and combine well. Add final salt and pepper, and reheat gently before serving.

When the braising is complete, serve with the colcannon and the cooking liquid from the pan.