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At our kitchen, regularly simmer drumsticks, because all the preparation is finished beforehand. For the festive season, the same technique is perfect for turkey legs – it’s a lovely way to enjoy them. Accompany it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, although steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or roast carrots are also excellent.

Braised Turkey Legs with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up to feed more people – all you need is an enlarged cooking vessel.

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 diced
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 5 slices streaky bacon, cut into pieces
• 8 sage leaves preferably fresh
• 70ml white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
• 60-100ml chicken stock
• ½ tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream

For the Colcannon:

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

Directions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a large, deep cast-iron frying pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then place them in the hot oil and fry, turning once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then remove the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Fry for five to 10 minutes, until the aromatics soften and color. Deglaze with the wine, then return the turkey on top of the mixture. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then gently mix in the dijon and creamy element. Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for about 60 minutes, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Chef's Note: At the same time, place the potato chunks in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a sharp knife.

In another saucepan, melt two tablespoons 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 10-15 minutes, until wilted. Adjust the seasoning, then remove from the heat.

In the meantime, in a pan, heat the milk gently and the remaining butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Mash the potatoes with the creamy liquid until smooth, then fold in the cooked cabbage and mix it in thoroughly. Add final salt and pepper, and keep warm before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, plate alongside the creamy potato side and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.