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At our kitchen, frequently slow-cook chicken and rabbit legs, because the entire process is completed in advance. For Christmas, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Pair it with colcannon, although basmati rice, steamed baby potatoes or caramelized carrots make fine alternatives.

Braised Turkey Legs with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

This can easily be scaled up for extra guests – you’ll just need an enlarged cooking vessel.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Main Dish:

• 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 finely chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 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 like Russets, 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

Cooking Instructions

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 add them to the pan and brown, turning once, until nicely coloured on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then pour out and discard the excess oil.

Melt the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Fry for five to 10 minutes, until the shallots and bacon take on some colour. Add the white wine, then return the turkey on top of the vegetables. 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 about 60 minutes, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Pro Tip: At the same time, add the peeled potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for around 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a skewer.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, for until softened, until wilted. Add salt and pepper, then set aside.

In the meantime, in a pan, combine the milk and the remaining 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 lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and stir it through. Season again to taste, and reheat gently before serving.

After the hour is up, plate alongside the colcannon and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.