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At our kitchen, regularly simmer chicken and rabbit legs, because all the preparation is completed in advance. For Christmas, I often employ on the holiday bird's legs – this creates a delicious method to eat them. Serve with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, though steamed rice, simple boiled potatoes or roast carrots would also go great.

Simmered Drumsticks with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

You can readily increase the portions for a larger gathering – you’ll just need an enlarged cooking vessel.

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 diced
• 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 8 sage leaves preferably fresh
• 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 like Russets, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• ½ savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Cooking Instructions

Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of neutral oil in a oven-safe pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then add them to the pan and sear, 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, followed by the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Fry for until fragrant, until the onions and bacon take on some colour. Add the white wine, then return the turkey on top of the aromatic base. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then whisk in the dijon and creamy element. Place a foil lid on the pan and bake for one hour, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

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

In another saucepan, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for a couple of minutes. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, tossing now and then, for until softened, until wilted. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

In the meantime, in a pan, warm the milk and the remaining butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then return them to their pan. Crush the potatoes with the creamy liquid until smooth, then add the cabbage and combine well. Season again to taste, and reheat gently before serving.

Once the turkey is cooked, plate alongside the creamy potato side and the vegetables and juices from the pan.