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When we cook, frequently simmer drumsticks, as the entire process is finished beforehand. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – this creates a delicious method to enjoy them. Accompany it with buttery potato and greens, although fluffy rice, steamed baby potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent.

Braised Turkey Legs with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up to feed more people – you’ll just need a bigger pot.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Turkey:

• 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 like Sauvignon Blanc
• 60-100ml chicken stock
• ½ tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream

For the Potato Side:

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

Directions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high cast-iron frying pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then lay them in the pan and brown, turning once, until nicely coloured on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then remove the cooking fat.

Melt the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Cook on a medium-high heat several minutes, until the onions and bacon soften and color. Deglaze with the wine, then place the seared legs on top of the mixture. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then whisk 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, put the potatoes in a large saucepan of water and cook for around 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for 10-15 minutes, until soft. Season, then keep warm.

Using another small pot, heat the milk gently and the rest of the butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Puree 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.

When the braising is complete, serve with the colcannon and the cooking liquid from the pan.