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At our kitchen, we often braise poultry and game legs, since the entire process is completed beforehand. For Christmas, I often employ with turkey drumsticks – it’s a lovely way to eat them. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, though fluffy rice, steamed baby potatoes or roast carrots make fine alternatives.

Braised Turkey Legs with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up for a larger gathering – you’ll just need a larger pan.

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 diced
• 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 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

Method

Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high skillet. Season the turkey legs, then add them to the pan and brown, flipping once, until nicely coloured on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then remove the fat.

Melt the butter in the pan, then add the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Fry for several minutes, until the aromatics take on some colour. Deglaze with the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the mixture. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Place a foil lid on the pan and roast for an hour, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Pro Tip: Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until soft when tested with a skewer.

Using a separate skillet, warm a portion of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, mixing from time to time, for until softened, until wilted. Season, 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. Puree the potatoes with the creamy liquid until smooth, then fold in the cooked cabbage and combine well. Season again to taste, and keep warm before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, dish up with the creamy potato side and the vegetables and juices from the pan.