Christmas Main Course Effortless: An Slow-Cooked Turkey Legs Recipe with Colcannon

When we cook, we often slow-cook drumsticks, since all the preparation can be done ahead of time. During the holidays, I often employ for turkey legs – this creates a delicious method to eat them. Accompany it with buttery potato and greens, but basmati rice, boiled new potatoes or roast carrots are also excellent.

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

The recipe is easily doubled for extra guests – simply require a larger pan.

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

Cooking Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of neutral oil in a oven-safe cast-iron frying pan. Season the turkey legs, then lay them in the pan and sear, flipping once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then remove the fat.

Melt 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 place the seared legs on top of the vegetables. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then gently mix 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: Meanwhile, add the peeled potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a skewer.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, warm a portion of the butter, then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

In the meantime, in a pan, heat the milk gently and the leftover butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then return them to their pan. Puree the potatoes with the creamy liquid until smooth, then fold in the cooked cabbage and mix it in thoroughly. Season again to taste, and keep warm before serving.

After the hour is up, plate alongside the colcannon and the cooking liquid from the pan.