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At our kitchen, we often braise poultry and game legs, since all the preparation is completed beforehand. For the festive season, this method works wonderfully for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Accompany it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, but fluffy rice, steamed baby potatoes or oven-roasted carrots would also go great.

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

You can readily increase the portions to feed more people – 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 finely chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
• 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 Colcannon:

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

Cooking Instructions

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a large, deep cast-iron frying pan. Season the turkey legs, then lay them in the pan and fry, cooking on both sides, until nicely coloured on both sides. Take the turkey out to a plate, then remove the fat.

Add the butter in the pan, followed by the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Fry for five to 10 minutes, until the onions and bacon soften and color. Add the white wine, then place the seared legs on top of the mixture. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then carefully stir 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.

Key Point: Meanwhile, put the potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for until tender, until tender when pricked with a sharp knife.

Using a separate skillet, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for until aromatic. Incorporate the sliced cabbage and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for until softened, until soft. Add salt and pepper, then keep warm.

In a third saucepan, combine the milk and the remaining butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Puree the potatoes with the creamy liquid until smooth, then incorporate the greens and mix it in thoroughly. Season again to taste, and reheat gently before serving.

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