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At our kitchen, we often slow-cook poultry and game legs, as all the preparation can be done in advance. During the holidays, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – it’s a lovely way to eat them. Serve with buttery potato and greens, though steamed rice, boiled new potatoes or roast carrots are also excellent.

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

This can easily be scaled up to feed more people – 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 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 halved
• 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 Colcannon:

• 500g large floury potatoes like Russets, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• ½ savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Method

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high cast-iron frying pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then add them to the pan and brown, cooking on both sides, until nicely coloured on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then remove the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, then add the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Cook on a medium-high heat until fragrant, until the aromatics 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 covered halfway, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Seal the pan tightly with foil and bake for an hour, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Key Point: Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large saucepan of water and cook for 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a sharp knife.

In another saucepan, warm a portion of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, mixing from time to time, for until softened, until wilted. Add salt and pepper, then remove from the heat.

In a third saucepan, combine the milk and the remaining butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Mash the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until lump-free, then add the cabbage and stir it through. Adjust the seasoning once more, and keep warm before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, plate alongside the creamy potato side and the vegetables and juices from the pan.