Holiday Centerpiece Effortless: A Slow-Cooked Turkey Legs Dish with Creamy Potato & Cabbage

In our culinary practice, regularly braise drumsticks, because the entire process is completed ahead of time. For the festive season, the same technique is perfect for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Accompany it with colcannon, but basmati rice, boiled new potatoes or caramelized carrots make fine alternatives.

Simmered Drumsticks with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

The recipe is easily doubled to feed more people – all you need is 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 halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, cut into pieces
• 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 Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage:

• 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

Cooking Instructions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Heat two tablespoons of sunflower oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then place them in the hot oil and sear, turning once, until beautifully seared 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, then add the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Cook on a medium-high heat several minutes, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Pour in the wine, then place the seared legs on top of the vegetables. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then carefully stir in the dijon and creamy element. Cover the pan with foil and bake for one hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Pro Tip: While that's cooking, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for until tender, until soft when tested with a skewer.

In another saucepan, warm a portion of the butter, then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a low heat, tossing now and then, for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

In the meantime, in a pan, warm the milk and the remaining butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Puree the potatoes with the heated dairy mixture until smooth, then incorporate the greens and stir it through. Season again to taste, and reheat gently before serving.

After the hour is up, plate alongside the creamy potato side and the cooking liquid from the pan.