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At our kitchen, frequently slow-cook drumsticks, as every step is completed beforehand. For the festive season, I often employ with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Accompany it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, though basmati rice, simple boiled potatoes or roast carrots are also excellent.

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

This can easily be scaled up for a larger gathering – simply require a bigger pot.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Turkey:

• 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 diced
• 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 8 sage leaves preferably fresh
• 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 like Russets, 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

Cooking Instructions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of neutral oil in a large, deep pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then add them to the pan and sear, flipping once, until nicely coloured on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the cooking fat.

Melt the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Cook on a medium-high heat until fragrant, until the shallots and bacon begin to brown. Add the white wine, then place the seared legs on top of the aromatic base. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then gently mix in the mustard and creme fraiche. Cover the pan with foil and bake for about 60 minutes, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Chef's Note: At the same time, place the potato chunks in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for until tender, until soft when tested with a fork.

Using a separate skillet, warm a portion of the butter, then add the garlic for two minutes. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, tossing now and then, for 10-15 minutes, until wilted. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

Using another small pot, warm the milk and the remaining butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Puree the potatoes with the heated dairy mixture until smooth, then fold in the cooked cabbage and combine well. Add final salt and pepper, and keep warm before serving.

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