Christmas Star Dish Made Easy: An Slow-Cooked Turkey Legs Recipe with Creamy Potato & Cabbage

In our culinary practice, we often slow-cook poultry and game legs, as all the preparation can be done beforehand. For Christmas, the same technique is perfect on the holiday bird's legs – it offers a superb approach to enjoy them. Pair it with buttery potato and greens, although basmati rice, boiled new potatoes or oven-roasted carrots would also go great.

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

You can readily increase the portions for extra guests – you’ll just need an enlarged cooking vessel.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Main Dish:

• 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 finely chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 70ml white wine a dry variety
• 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 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. Heat two tablespoons of sunflower oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then add them to the pan and fry, turning once, until golden brown 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, followed by the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Fry for until fragrant, until the aromatics begin to brown. Add the white wine, then return the turkey on top of the vegetables. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Cover the pan with foil and roast for one hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Chef's Note: While that's cooking, add the peeled potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until soft when tested with a fork.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then add the garlic for until aromatic. Add the cabbage and cook on a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Season, then set aside.

In a third saucepan, warm the milk and the remaining butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then return them to their pan. Puree the potatoes with the heated dairy mixture until smooth, then incorporate the greens and mix it in thoroughly. Add final salt and pepper, and hold over low heat before serving.

After the hour is up, dish up with the colcannon and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.