🔗 Share this article

When we cook, we often slow-cook drumsticks, as the entire process can be done in advance. During the holidays, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, though steamed rice, simple boiled potatoes or oven-roasted carrots make fine alternatives.

Simmered Drumsticks with Herbs, Mustard & Cream, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

This can easily be scaled up for a larger gathering – you’ll just need a larger pan.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Braised Legs:

• 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, diced
• 8 sage leaves preferably fresh
• 70ml white wine like Sauvignon Blanc
• 60-100ml chicken stock
• ½ tbsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp creme fraiche or sour cream

For the Colcannon:

• 500g large floury potatoes such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• ½ savoy cabbage, shredded
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Method

Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a large, deep pan. Season the turkey legs, then lay them in the pan and brown, turning once, until golden brown on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then remove the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, then add the aromatics and bacon. Sauté over medium-high heat several minutes, until the onions and bacon begin to brown. Deglaze with the wine, then place the seared legs on top of the vegetables. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Seal the pan tightly with foil and cook in the oven for an hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Pro Tip: While that's cooking, add the peeled potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until soft when tested with a skewer.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, warm a portion of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a simmer, mixing from time to time, for 10 to 15 minutes, until wilted. 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 mash them in the same pot. Crush the potatoes with the heated dairy mixture until smooth, then incorporate the greens and combine well. Season again to taste, and reheat gently before serving.

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