Leftover Turkey Pie

Is it too early for the Christmas leftovers recipes? It's never too early! Turkey is a great, under utilised meat that really should be used a lot more. It has a reputation for being bland but, like any meat, this has more to do with the lives of the animals than anything else. Factory farmed, quickly reared animals will never develop the depth of flavour of their free range/organic cousins. A nice free range/organic bronze turkey is as flavourful and juicy as any cut of beef. Sure, it's more expensive but if you get the most out of it then it's worth the extra cash.

This is a great recipe to use up one of the leftover legs. The legs are often overlooked because of their stronger flavour but this is all the more appealing in this dish, the stronger the better. This dish can be made with almost any leftover meat, just use a corresponding stock. Give it a try on a lazy St. Stephen's Day, smothered in leftover Christmas gravy or on any Monday when the Sunday leftovers are sitting in the fridge begging to be brought back to life.

I had a version of this recipe in Paris last year but it was made with Duck and had a light gravy served with it. Simple and delicious.

Serves 4

1 Kg Potatoes (peeled, boiled and mashed with a little butter, milk and seasoning)
50g Butter
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 Leg of Cooked Turkey (Meat pulled from the bone giving 300-400g)
300 ml Turkey/Chicken/Vegetable Stock
1/2 tsp Dried Marjoram
1 Bay Leaf
2 tbsp Grated Pecorino/Parmesan Cheese
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Add the butter and oil to a pan over a medium heat and, when hot, add the onion. Season well and cook for 5-7 minutes until softened but not coloured. Add the torn turkey meat, season well and cook for 7-10 minutes until it begins to brown on the outside. Add the stock, marjoram and bay leaf and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes until the stock reduces and thickens slightly.

2. Remove the bay leaf and add the turkey to a baking dish. Put the mashed potato on top and spread out evenly with a fork. Sprinkle the cheese on top and finish with a grating of pepper. Put the dish into a pre-heated 180 degree C. oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve on its own or with leftover Sunday/Christmas Gravy.