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At our kitchen, we often slow-cook drumsticks, because the entire process is finished in advance. For Christmas, I often employ for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to enjoy them. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, although steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or caramelized carrots make fine alternatives.

Braised Turkey Legs with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

You can readily increase the portions to feed more people – all you need is a bigger pot.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Braised Legs:

• Sunflower oil or another neutral oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 2 bone-in turkey legs or drumsticks
• 1 tbsp butter
• 5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 70ml white wine a dry variety
• 60-100ml chicken stock
• ½ tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream

For the Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage:

• 500g large floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
• ½ savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Cooking Instructions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high cast-iron frying pan. Season the turkey legs, then lay them in the pan and fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the cooking fat.

Add the butter in the pan, followed by the aromatics and bacon. Sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant, until the aromatics soften and color. Add the white wine, then return the turkey on top of the aromatic base. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Cover the pan with foil and bake for one hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Pro Tip: At the same time, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for around 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a fork.

Using a separate skillet, warm a portion of the butter, then sauté the garlic for until aromatic. Add the cabbage and cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until wilted. Add salt and pepper, then set aside.

Using another small pot, warm the milk and the leftover butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Mash the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until creamy, then incorporate the greens and stir it through. Adjust the seasoning once more, and keep warm before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, plate alongside the creamy potato side and the cooking liquid from the pan.