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

At our kitchen, regularly braise poultry and game legs, because the entire process is completed beforehand. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – this creates a delicious method for serving them. Serve with colcannon, but steamed rice, simple boiled potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent.

Braised Turkey Legs with Herbs, Mustard & Cream, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage

This can easily be scaled up to feed more people – you’ll just need an enlarged cooking vessel.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Main Dish:

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

Directions

Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of sunflower oil in a oven-safe cast-iron frying pan. Season the turkey legs, then lay them in the pan and fry, cooking on both sides, until beautifully seared on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Cook on a medium-high heat until fragrant, until the onions and bacon take on some colour. Add the white wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the mixture. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then gently mix 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 fall-off-the-bone tender.

Pro Tip: Meanwhile, add the peeled potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for around 20 minutes, until easily pierced with a skewer.

In another saucepan, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then add the garlic for until aromatic. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a low heat, tossing now and then, for 10-15 minutes, until wilted. Adjust the seasoning, then remove from the heat.

In the meantime, in a pan, combine the milk and the leftover butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Puree the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until smooth, then fold in the cooked cabbage and mix it in thoroughly. Season again to taste, and keep warm before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, serve with the creamy potato side and the cooking liquid from the pan.