Christmas is a time of feasting, when friends and family gather together to enjoy all manner of consumable delights. However, it's also a time of waste. Whether it's leftover bits of turkey or assorted vegetable peelings, festive cooking can result in an awful lot of food waste. To help you combat that this holiday season, we've teamed up with Ricki Weston, Executive Chef at Michelin Green Star restaurant The Dining Room, to bring you a delicious recipe that uses up the often underutilised turkey wing.
"I have chosen turkey wing, as for me it's a great opportunity to have a usable product that is often only cooked on the crown or used for stocks," explains Ricki. "This recipe and method gives you a product that can be used as the main protein for a roast or as a different dish entirely." It's this kind of thinking that has seen Ricki and the team at The Dining Room awarded a Michelin Green Star, a distinction which recognises restaurants at the forefront of the industry when it comes to their sustainable practices. The Dining Room is located inside Whatley Manor, a gorgeous hotel with a similar sustainable ethos, and Ricki oversees the food both at this flagship restaurant and Grey's brasserie.
So without further ado, read on for Ricki Weston's sustainable festive recipe.
Rolled turkey wing, fondant potato, kale and cranberry sauce
Ingredients1 large turkey wing
1 shallot
1 garlic clove
3 sprigs of thyme
1 small potato
Butter
Kale
Cranberry sauce
Method – Turkey Wing
1. Debone the turkey wing by cutting into the skin and around the meat. Come under the bone with your knife and cut out the bone.
2. Sweat off the shallots, garlic and thyme in a little butter until softened. Leave to cool down slightly.
3. Cover the meat of the turkey wing with the shallot mixture and roll tightly into a ballotine using cling film.
4. Place the wrapped, rolled turkey wing into a pot of water and bring to the boil. Place a lid on top, take off the heat and leave to poach for 30 minutes.
5. Unrwap the turkey and fry in a pan until the skin has turned colour and gone crispy.
6. Slice and serve with the fondant potato (see below), kale and cranberry sauce.
Method – Fondant Potato
1. Peel the potato and cut into a short, cylindrical shape.
2. Colour the outside of the potato by frying in a little oil.
3. Once browned, cover the potato with melted butter and simmer gently until it is cooked all the way through.
Top Tip: You can check this by inserting a knife and seeing if the potato drops off when you lift it up.
