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When we cook, regularly simmer chicken and rabbit legs, since the entire process can be done ahead of time. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to enjoy them. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, but basmati rice, boiled new potatoes or roast carrots would also go great.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with Herbs, Mustard & Cream, and Colcannon

The recipe is easily doubled for a larger gathering – simply require an enlarged cooking vessel.

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 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 Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage:

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

Cooking Instructions

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of sunflower oil in a oven-safe skillet. Season the turkey legs, then lay them in the pan and brown, flipping once, until nicely coloured on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the cooking fat.

Melt the butter in the pan, followed by the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Sauté over medium-high heat several minutes, until the aromatics begin to brown. Pour in the wine, then place the seared legs on top of the vegetables. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then carefully stir in the dijon and creamy element. Seal the pan tightly with foil and roast for about 60 minutes, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Key Point: While that's cooking, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for a couple of minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, for until softened, until wilted. Season, then remove from the heat.

In the meantime, in a pan, combine the milk and the leftover butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then return them to their pan. Crush the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until lump-free, then add the cabbage and combine well. Add final salt and pepper, and keep warm before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, plate alongside the creamy potato side and the cooking liquid from the pan.