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In our culinary practice, regularly simmer drumsticks, as every step is finished in advance. For the festive season, I often employ with turkey drumsticks – this creates a delicious method for serving them. Serve with buttery potato and greens, but fluffy rice, simple boiled potatoes or oven-roasted carrots make fine alternatives.

Braised Turkey Legs with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

This can easily be scaled up to feed more people – 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 minced
• 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
• 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 Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage:

• 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

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Heat two tablespoons of neutral oil in a oven-safe skillet. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then place them in the hot oil and brown, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then remove the fat.

Add the butter in the pan, followed by the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Sauté over medium-high heat five to 10 minutes, until the shallots and bacon take on some colour. Deglaze with the wine, then return the turkey on top of the vegetables. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then carefully stir 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.

Pro Tip: Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for around 20 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.

In another saucepan, warm a portion of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for a couple of minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a low heat, mixing from time to time, for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

In a third saucepan, combine the milk and the rest of the butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Mash the potatoes with the creamy liquid until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and mix it in thoroughly. Add final salt and pepper, and hold over low heat before serving.

When the braising is complete, dish up with the creamy potato side and the cooking liquid from the pan.