Holiday Centerpiece Simplified: A Braised Drumsticks Recipe with Creamy Potato & Cabbage

At our kitchen, regularly braise chicken and rabbit legs, since all the preparation is finished in advance. During the holidays, I often employ for turkey legs – this creates a delicious method for serving them. Serve with buttery potato and greens, though steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or caramelized carrots are also excellent.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

The recipe is easily doubled 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 finely chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
• 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 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. Heat two tablespoons of neutral oil in a large, deep pan. Season the turkey legs, then add them to the pan and sear, turning once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the fat.

Melt the butter in the pan, followed by the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Cook on a medium-high heat five to 10 minutes, until the shallots and bacon take on some colour. Pour in the wine, then return the turkey on top of the aromatic base. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then carefully stir in the mustard and creme fraiche. Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for one hour, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Key Point: Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a gentle heat, tossing now and then, for until softened, until tender. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

In the meantime, in a pan, heat the milk gently and the remaining butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Crush the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and stir it through. Add final salt and pepper, and hold over low heat before serving.

After the hour is up, dish up with the colcannon and the cooking liquid from the pan.