🔗 Share this article

In our culinary practice, we often simmer drumsticks, as all the preparation is completed ahead of time. For Christmas, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach for serving them. Accompany it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, but basmati rice, boiled new potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent.

Braised Turkey Legs with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

You can readily increase the portions for a larger gathering – 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, diced
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 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, shredded
• 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 oven-safe skillet. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then lay them in the pan and brown, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then remove the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, then add the aromatics and bacon. Fry for several minutes, until the onions and bacon take on some colour. Pour in the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the aromatic base. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then gently mix in the mustard and creme fraiche. Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for one hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Pro Tip: While that's cooking, add the peeled potatoes in a large saucepan of water and cook for until tender, until soft when tested with a sharp knife.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for 10-15 minutes, until soft. Season, then set aside.

In the meantime, in a pan, combine the milk and the rest of the butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Puree the potatoes with the heated dairy mixture until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and stir it through. Add final salt and pepper, and reheat gently before serving.

After the hour is up, dish up with the colcannon and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.