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At our kitchen, we often simmer poultry and game legs, as every step can be done beforehand. During the holidays, I often employ for turkey legs – this creates a delicious method to eat them. Accompany it with buttery potato and greens, but steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or oven-roasted carrots make fine alternatives.

Braised Turkey Legs with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up to feed more people – simply require a larger pan.

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 diced
• 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 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 Potato Side:

• 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, thinly sliced
• 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 oven-safe cast-iron frying pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then add them to the pan and brown, flipping once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the fat.

Place the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Sauté over medium-high heat several minutes, until the shallots and bacon take on some colour. Pour in the wine, then place the seared legs on top of the mixture. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Place a foil lid on the pan and cook in the oven for an hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Key Point: At the same time, add the peeled potatoes in a large saucepan of water and cook for until tender, until soft when tested with a sharp knife.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then add the garlic for a couple of minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Add salt and pepper, then set aside.

In the meantime, in a pan, warm the milk and the remaining butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Puree the potatoes with the creamy liquid until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and stir it through. Adjust the seasoning once more, and hold over low heat before serving.

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