TURKEY LEG WITH CURRY SAUCE, BUDGET FRIENDLY

Turn budget cuts of turkey or turkey leftovers into an exciting treat

updated Jan 2022 

Turkey with an exotic twist

This recipe is perfect for left-over turkey but is also ideal for budget cuts of turkey that often appear in the month following festive occasions like Christmas and Easter.  

Though great for the wallet, they need to be treated with care.  Some give off a great deal of fat and the meat can be tough, not lending itself well to roasting. 

One solution is to thinly slice the raw meat then marinade and stir-fry it. 

Another is to slow-cook the meat in stock, then cool, slice or cube the meat. Heat   through in a delicious gravy or sauce made with the intensely flavoured stock.  Both the meat and sauce can be prepared up to 2 days ahead.     

Turkey with Curry Sauce used a whole turkey leg which provided plenty of meat.  Think in terms of a fiver or under.   It is teamed with a dark curry sauce without too much heat but with fruity lowlights.  The deep spiciness may not appeal to young palates but stirring in a dollop of sugar free plain yoghurt and/or mango chutney or low/no-sugar apricot jam could help.

   
The curry sauce was adapted from an intriguing recipe featuring quite a few root vegetables.  The veg adds thickness, gloss and a nice intriguing undertone.  Exotic as it tastes, nearly all the ingredients will be found in normal kitchens.   

The recipe calls for cooking in low oven; 67 used a slow cooker. The original recipe is from a  cookbook by Lady Carnarvon (of Downton Abbey fame), published in the Daily Mail. 

Leftover meat and sauce can be frozen separately.  
  
Cost: around £5
Feeds: 4-8 including leftovers

Ingred:
   1.6k turkey leg, skin removed
   1 carrot
   1 stick celery
   1 onion
   a few peppercorns
   water or stock to cover

OR 1.6K cooked turkey meat
   
Curry Sauce
   3/4oz/20gm unsalted butter (1)
   2 tbsp good curry powder
   1 tsp tumeric
   2 tbsp sunflower oil

   3/4oz/20gm unsalted butter (2)
   1 large onion, finely diced

   1 tbsp flour
   1 large potato, washed & unpeeled,  thinly sliced
   3 med carrots, washed & unpeeled, thinly sliced
   2 parsnips (or if unavailable 1 med sweet potato, peeled), thinly sliced
   1 apple or pear, cored but unpeeled, in med dice (or a tablespoon mango chutney)

   500ml good stock

   1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
   pepper & salt

Method:

1. Cook the turkey leg with vegetables & stock/water in the slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours or until meat is tender but still sliceable. 
2. Allow to cool; remove gristle and fat from the meat; set aside & refrigerate
3. Cool stock; refrigerate until fat solidifies and can be removed
4. When ready to serve, slice or cube meat, either steam till warmed through and pour on top of heated curry sauce or heat in the curry sauce.

 Curry Sauce

1. Melt butter & oil over med heat; add curry powder & turmeric; fry 5 mins
2. Add second lot of butter plus onions, saute 5 mins till soft but not brown
3. Add flour & stir; stir in veg
4. Gradually add stock then balsamic vinegar; pepper & salt
5. Bring to the boil; turn heat down to gentle bubble
6. Pour into slow cooker & cook on high 2 hours OR cook in low oven 150c 45 mins to an hour
7. When time is up and veg are soft, cool and blend
8. After one hour, refrigerate
9. When ready to serve, slice or cube meat, steam till warmed through and pour on heated curry sauce OR heat in curry sauce

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced in any form, without the author's written permission.