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At our kitchen, we often slow-cook drumsticks, as every step is completed in advance. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – it’s a lovely way for serving them. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, although steamed 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 for extra guests – 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 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 halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 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, thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Method

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. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then lay them in the pan and brown, cooking on both sides, until nicely coloured on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then remove the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, then add the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Cook on a medium-high heat until fragrant, until the onions and bacon take on some colour. Pour in the wine, then place the seared legs 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. Seal the pan tightly with foil and roast for one hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Key Point: While that's cooking, put the potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for until tender, until tender when pricked with a skewer.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, warm a portion of the butter, then add the garlic for until aromatic. Add the cabbage and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for until softened, until wilted. Adjust the seasoning, then remove from the heat.

Using another small pot, combine the milk and the rest of the butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Mash the potatoes with the creamy liquid until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and combine well. Adjust the seasoning once more, and keep warm before serving.

After the hour is up, plate alongside the colcannon and the vegetables and juices from the pan.