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At our kitchen, we often simmer chicken and rabbit legs, since the entire process is completed in advance. For Christmas, the same technique is perfect with turkey drumsticks – this creates a delicious method to eat them. Accompany it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, but steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or oven-roasted carrots are also excellent.

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

This can easily be scaled up for a larger gathering – all you need is a larger pan.

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 minced
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 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 minced
• ½ savoy cabbage, shredded
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Method

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

Melt the butter in the pan, followed by the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Cook on a medium-high heat several minutes, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Add the white wine, then place the seared legs on top of the mixture. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then gently mix in the dijon and creamy element. Cover the pan with foil and roast for one hour, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease.

Key Point: At the same time, place the potato chunks in a pan of boiling water and cook for until tender, until tender when pricked with a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, warm a portion of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a simmer, stirring occasionally, for until softened, until wilted. Add salt and pepper, then set aside.

In the meantime, in a pan, combine the milk and the leftover butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then return them to their pan. Puree the potatoes with the creamy liquid until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and combine well. Adjust the seasoning once more, and keep warm before serving.

When the braising is complete, dish up with the colcannon and the cooking liquid from the pan.