Christmas Centerpiece Made Easy: A Braised Turkey Legs Dish with Creamy Potato & Cabbage

When we cook, we often braise poultry and game legs, since every step is completed beforehand. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach to enjoy them. Accompany it with colcannon, though basmati rice, steamed baby potatoes or oven-roasted carrots would also go great.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

You can readily increase the portions for extra guests – you’ll just need a larger pan.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Main Dish:

• 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 halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 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 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

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 cast-iron frying pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then add them to the pan and sear, flipping once, until nicely coloured on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then remove the excess oil.

Melt the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant, until the shallots and bacon take on some colour. Deglaze with the wine, then return the turkey on top of the mixture. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Cover the pan with foil and bake for an hour, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Key Point: While that's cooking, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for until tender, until tender when pricked with a fork.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for until aromatic. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a gentle heat, tossing now and then, for until softened, until soft. Season, then keep warm.

In a third saucepan, warm the milk and the remaining butter. Once the potatoes are done, drain them, then put them back in the hot pot. Mash the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until creamy, then incorporate the greens and combine well. Add final salt and pepper, and reheat gently before serving.

When the braising is complete, plate alongside the creamy potato side and the cooking liquid from the pan.