🔗 Share this article Festive Main Course Made Easy: A Braised Turkey Legs Recipe with Creamy Potato & Cabbage In our culinary practice, we often slow-cook poultry and game legs, as the entire process is finished ahead of time. For Christmas, this method works wonderfully with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach for serving them. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, though fluffy rice, simple boiled potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent. Simmered Drumsticks with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Colcannon The recipe is easily doubled to feed more people – all you need is a bigger pot. 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 sliced 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 such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks. 100g unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, peeled and diced ½ savoy cabbage, thinly sliced Salt and black pepper 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed Directions Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a oven-safe cast-iron frying pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then lay them in the pan and fry, turning once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the excess oil. Melt the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the aromatics and bacon. Sauté over medium-high heat five to 10 minutes, until the onions and bacon soften and color. Add the white wine, then place the seared legs on top of the aromatic base. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then carefully stir in the dijon and creamy element. Place a foil lid on the pan and cook in the oven for an hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through. Key Point: Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a large saucepan of water and cook for 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a fork. In another saucepan, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until tender. Adjust the seasoning, then set aside. Using another small pot, combine the milk and the leftover butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Puree 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. Once the turkey is cooked, serve with the colcannon and the vegetables and juices from the pan.