Confit Turkey Grilled Cheese

Those, like me, who see turkey as a sort of dry, grotesque chicken fit for nothing more than the bin, look again.

Done in 4 hours

Dish by Hugh Woodward

Ingredients

For the confit turkey thighs

2turkey thighs, bone in

6 tbspflaked sea salt

a sprigthyme

a sprigrosemary

3 clovesgarlic

as much as you can afford - 1.5 to 2 litres, or whatever will cover the thighs in the potgoose fat

For the grilled cheese (per sandwich):

to tastechutney

3 or 4 chunksraclette, sliced

some big bitscomte, sliced

to tastecrisps

2 slices per sandwich OBVIOUSLYsliced bread

1 tbsp per sandwichbutter

Cooking the thighs confit-style is a guaranteed way to avoid any dryness - just look at that succulent meat falling off the bone! Stick it into a grilled cheese and you are well on your way to trying the best Christmas sandwich ever.

Method

Begin the day before, if you have time. Liberally salt the turkey thighs and then leave them covered in the fridge overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 130°C. Wash off the salt and pat the turkey dry. In a sturdy cast iron or ceramic casserole, heat the goose fat until it liquefies.

Pop the thighs in, cover and cook in the oven for 2 hours. Add the garlic and herbs, then place the casserole back in the oven for another hour or two, until the thighs are very soft and you can shred the meat with a fork.

Drain the thighs, shred them and discard the bones.

Make your sandwich - stick all the ingredients, including a hefty wodge of delicious confit turkey meat, between the pieces of bread.

In a cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed frying pan, heat the butter over a low heat. Add the sandwich - there should be only the smallest of sizzles, you don't want the outside to burn before the cheese has melted. Fry both sides until things are looking gooey and the bread is golden and crisp.

Eat it, and worry about your cholesterol further down the line.

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Hugh Woodward

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Hugh's culinary life began aged 14 when he cooked spaghetti hoop burritos to impress girls. Since then his colourful career has taken him to performing in Skegness, making cheese in Peckham, running a wine bar on Columbia Road and reluctantly working in a (briefly) Michelin Starred restaurant. He likes fish, things cooked on charcoal, cheap dinners and London's rich cultural tapestry of food shops. When he's not cooking or eating he can be found mudlarking by the river Thames, buying bits in flea markets and hanging out with his cat Keith.