Turkey breast with leeks, mushrooms and colcannon cakes

Ingredients

2 turkey breasts, weighing about 500g/1lb 2 oz each
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp vegetable oil
80g/3oz unsalted butter
200g/7oz mushrooms, quartered
200g/7oz leeks, washed, trimmed and cut into 1cm/½in slices
For the sauce:
2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
6 tbsp dry white wine
½ tsp chopped fresh rosemary
140g/5oz unsalted butter, chilled and diced
For the Colcannon Cakes:
750g/1lb 10oz new potatoes, preferably the slightly waxy type, peeled and cut into 5cm/2in cubes
85g/3oz butter
one-third savoy cabbage, outer leaves removed, cored and finely chopped.
½ bunch spring onions, finely chopped
plain white flour, for dusting
2 tbsp light olive oil

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Trim the turkey breasts, removing any excess fat. Season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Heat an ovenproof frying pan over a moderate heat. When hot, add 2 tbsp of the oil and 25g/1oz of the butter.
4. Allow the butter to foam, then add the turkey breasts, skin-side down, and cook for 2-3 minutes or until the skin is nicely coloured.
5. Turn over for 1 minute to seal the other side.
6. Turn back on to the skin side and place in the oven for 20 minutes or until firm to the touch.
7. While the turkey is roasting, cook the vegetables. Cook the potatoes in boiling salted water, then drain in a colander and set aside.
8. Pan-fry the mushrooms over a high heat in 50g/2oz of the butter with a little salt and pepper.
9. Cook the leeks in another saucepan, with the rest of the butter, a good splash of water and a little salt and pepper, for about 3 minutes or until the water has evaporated and the leeks are tender.
10. Keep the mushrooms and leeks warm.
11. Heat 50g/2oz of the butter with 150ml/¼ pint of water in a medium-sized saucepan and add the cabbage. Cook over a high heat until the cabbage is just cooked and the water has almost evaporated.
12. Add the spring onions and cook until the mixture is just starting to fry. Tip the cabbage and spring onions into a bowl with the potatoes.
13. Remove the turkey from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes in a warm place.
14. To make the sauce, tip any oil out of the turkey saucepan.
15. Add the shallots to the saucepan and cook for 2 minutes over a gentle heat.
16. Stir in the wine, scraping the bottom of the saucepan to loosen all the caramelised juices. Boil until almost all the wine has evaporated, then add 110ml/4fl oz of water and bring to the boil again.
17. Mash or crush the cabbage and potatoes together roughly (using your hands might work best). Shape the mixture into eight balls, dust with flour and press into neat patties.
18. Heat the oil with 35g/1oz butter in a frying pan until the butter foams. Add the patties and cook over a medium heat for 3 minutes on each side. Drain on kitchen paper and serve at once.
19. Add the rosemary to the sauce and then gradually whisk in the diced butter.
20. To serve, spoon the vegetables attractively around the outside of four warm plates. Slice the turkey breasts and fan the slices in the centres of the plates. Top with a little sauce and serve with two Colcannon Cakes each.