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At our kitchen, regularly braise chicken and rabbit legs, since every step is finished beforehand. For the festive season, the same technique is perfect for turkey legs – it’s a lovely way for serving them. Accompany it with buttery potato and greens, but steamed rice, simple boiled potatoes or oven-roasted carrots make fine alternatives.

Simmered Drumsticks with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up to feed more people – simply require a bigger pot.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Braised Legs:

• 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 preferably fresh
• 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 diced
• 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. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of neutral oil in a oven-safe cast-iron frying pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then lay them in the pan and sear, cooking on both sides, until nicely coloured on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the cooking fat.

Place the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Sauté over medium-high heat several minutes, until the onions and bacon begin to brown. Deglaze with the wine, then return the turkey on top of the vegetables. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then gently mix in the dijon and creamy element. Place a foil lid on the pan and cook in the oven for an hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Key Point: While that's cooking, place the potato chunks in a pan of boiling water and cook for until tender, until soft when tested with a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, warm a portion of the butter, then add the garlic for two minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Season, then keep warm.

Using another small pot, combine the milk and the rest of the butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Mash the potatoes with the heated dairy mixture until lump-free, then incorporate the greens and combine well. Adjust the seasoning once more, and reheat gently before serving.

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