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At our kitchen, regularly braise drumsticks, because every step is completed ahead of time. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully on the holiday bird's legs – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Serve with colcannon, although fluffy rice, simple boiled potatoes or caramelized carrots are also excellent.

Braised Turkey Legs with Herbs, Mustard & Cream, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up to feed more people – simply require an enlarged cooking vessel.

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 minced
• 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 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

Method

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a oven-safe skillet. Season the turkey legs, then place them in the hot oil and brown, cooking on both sides, until golden brown on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the fat.

Add the butter in the pan, then add the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Fry for five to 10 minutes, until the aromatics take on some colour. Pour in the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the vegetables. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then gently mix in the mustard and creme fraiche. Seal the pan tightly with foil and bake for about 60 minutes, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Pro Tip: At the same time, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for around 20 minutes, until soft when tested with a skewer.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until wilted. Season, then keep warm.

In a third saucepan, warm the milk and the leftover butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then return them to their pan. Puree the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until smooth, then incorporate the greens and combine well. Adjust the seasoning once more, and reheat gently before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, dish up with the colcannon and the vegetables and juices from the pan.