Christmas Main Course Simplified: A Simmered Turkey Legs Recipe with Colcannon

At our kitchen, regularly slow-cook poultry and game legs, as every step is finished beforehand. During the holidays, the same technique is perfect on the holiday bird's legs – it offers a superb approach for serving them. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, but fluffy rice, simple boiled potatoes or caramelized carrots would also go great.

Simmered Drumsticks with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

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

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 halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
• 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 Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage:

• 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, shredded
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Method

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then lay them in the pan and brown, turning once, until nicely coloured on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then remove the excess oil.

Melt the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Fry for five to 10 minutes, until the aromatics take on some colour. Deglaze with the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the vegetables. Add enough chicken 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 about 60 minutes, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Key Point: Meanwhile, place the potato chunks in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for until tender, until soft when tested with a skewer.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then sauté the garlic for a couple of minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a low heat, mixing from time to time, for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Add salt and pepper, then set aside.

In the meantime, in a pan, warm the milk and the leftover butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Puree the potatoes with the creamy liquid until creamy, then add the cabbage and combine well. Adjust the seasoning once more, and reheat gently before serving.

When the braising is complete, serve with the colcannon and the vegetables and juices from the pan.