Festive Centerpiece Made Easy: A Simmered Drumsticks Dish with Creamy Potato & Cabbage

In our culinary practice, we often braise chicken and rabbit legs, as every step can be done in advance. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully with turkey drumsticks – this creates a delicious method for serving them. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, although steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or roast carrots would also go great.

Braised Turkey Legs with Herbs, Mustard & Cream, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

This can easily be scaled up 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 another neutral 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 quartered
• 5 slices streaky bacon, cut into pieces
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 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 such as Maris Piper, 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

Method

Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of neutral oil in a large, deep cast-iron frying pan. Season the turkey legs, then lay them in the pan and sear, turning once, until nicely coloured on both sides. Remove 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 soften and color. Pour in the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the vegetables. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then whisk in the dijon and creamy element. Seal the pan tightly with foil and bake for one hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Pro Tip: At the same time, place the potato chunks in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for until tender, until tender when pricked with a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, warm a portion of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a low heat, tossing now and then, for until softened, until soft. Add salt and pepper, then set aside.

Using another small pot, combine the milk and the leftover butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then return them to their pan. Crush the potatoes with the creamy liquid until creamy, then incorporate the greens and mix it in thoroughly. Season again to taste, and keep warm before serving.

After the hour is up, dish up with the colcannon and the vegetables and juices from the pan.