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When we cook, regularly simmer drumsticks, as every step is finished ahead of time. For the festive season, I often employ on the holiday bird's legs – this creates a delicious method for serving them. Accompany it with colcannon, but steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or caramelized carrots make fine alternatives.

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

This can easily be scaled up for extra guests – all you need is a bigger pot.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Braised Legs:

• 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 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 chopped
• ½ savoy cabbage, shredded
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Method

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of sunflower oil in a large, deep cast-iron frying pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then add them to the pan and sear, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Fry for until fragrant, until the onions and bacon take on some colour. Deglaze with the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the mixture. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then carefully stir in the dijon and creamy element. Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for one hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Key Point: 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 sharp knife.

In another saucepan, 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 to 15 minutes, until soft. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

In the meantime, in a pan, warm the milk and the leftover butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then return them to their pan. 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.

After the hour is up, serve with the creamy potato side and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.