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At our kitchen, regularly braise drumsticks, as all the preparation is finished beforehand. For Christmas, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach for serving them. Serve with buttery potato and greens, though fluffy rice, steamed baby potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent.

Braised Turkey Legs with Herbs, Mustard & Cream, and Colcannon

The recipe is easily doubled to feed more people – simply require an enlarged cooking vessel.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Main Dish:

• Sunflower oil or a mild cooking 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 sliced
• 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
• 8 sage leaves preferably fresh
• 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 like Russets, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced
• ½ savoy cabbage, shredded
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Method

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of neutral oil in a large, deep cast-iron frying pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then add them to the pan and fry, turning once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the cooking fat.

Melt the butter in the pan, then add the aromatics and bacon. Sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Deglaze with the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the aromatic base. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for one hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Key Point: At the same time, put the potatoes in a large saucepan of water and cook for around 20 minutes, until easily pierced with a sharp knife.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then add the garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a low heat, mixing from time to time, for 10 to 15 minutes, until wilted. Adjust the seasoning, then keep warm.

Using another small pot, heat the milk gently and the rest of the butter. Once the potatoes are done, drain them, then mash them in the same pot. Crush the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until smooth, then fold in the cooked cabbage and mix it in thoroughly. Add final salt and pepper, and hold over low heat before serving.

When the braising is complete, dish up with the creamy potato side and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.