Christmas Centerpiece Made Easy: An Simmered Drumsticks Dish with Colcannon

In our culinary practice, regularly simmer poultry and game legs, because all the preparation can be done in advance. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully with turkey drumsticks – it’s a lovely way to enjoy them. Accompany it with buttery potato and greens, though steamed rice, boiled new potatoes or roast carrots would also go great.

Braised Turkey Legs with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Colcannon

The recipe is easily doubled for extra guests – you’ll just need a bigger pot.

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 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 Colcannon:

• 500g large floury potatoes like Russets, 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

Method

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of sunflower oil in a oven-safe skillet. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then lay them in the pan and fry, flipping once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the cooking fat.

Add the butter in the pan, then add the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Cook on a 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. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then gently mix in the dijon and creamy element. Seal the pan tightly with foil and bake for an hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Key Point: While that's cooking, place the potato chunks in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for until tender, until easily pierced with a skewer.

Using a separate skillet, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for 10-15 minutes, until soft. Season, then remove from the heat.

In the meantime, in a pan, combine the milk and the remaining butter. Once the potatoes are done, drain them, then mash them in the same pot. Puree the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until creamy, then add the cabbage and combine well. Add final salt and pepper, and reheat gently before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, plate alongside the colcannon and the cooking liquid from the pan.