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When we cook, we often slow-cook drumsticks, since the entire process can be done ahead of time. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach to enjoy them. Accompany it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, although steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or oven-roasted carrots make fine alternatives.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with Herbs, Mustard & Cream, and Colcannon

The recipe is easily doubled for extra guests – simply require a larger pan.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Braised Legs:

• 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, 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 Potato Side:

• 500g large floury potatoes like Russets, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• ½ savoy cabbage, finely chopped
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Directions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a oven-safe skillet. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then place them in the hot oil and brown, cooking on both sides, until golden brown on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then remove the cooking fat.

Place the butter in the pan, followed by the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Fry for until fragrant, until the aromatics take on some colour. Pour in the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the mixture. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Cover the pan with foil and cook in the oven for an hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Pro Tip: While that's cooking, place the potato chunks in a pan of boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a skewer.

Using a separate skillet, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for a couple of minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a low heat, mixing from time to time, for 10-15 minutes, until wilted. Add salt and pepper, then remove from the heat.

In a third saucepan, combine the milk and the remaining butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then mash them in the same 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 reheat gently before serving.

After the hour is up, dish up with the colcannon and the vegetables and juices from the pan.