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At our kitchen, frequently braise poultry and game legs, as every step is completed ahead of time. For the festive season, the same technique is perfect for turkey legs – it’s a lovely way to eat them. Accompany it with buttery potato and greens, although fluffy rice, boiled new potatoes or oven-roasted carrots would also go great.

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

This can easily be scaled up to feed more people – simply require a larger pan.

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 minced
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 5 slices streaky bacon, cut into pieces
• 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 diced
• ½ savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Cooking Instructions

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Warm a couple of spoonfuls of neutral oil in a oven-safe pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then place them in the hot oil and sear, flipping once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then carefully tip out and dispose of the excess oil.

Add the butter in the pan, then add the aromatics and bacon. Fry for several minutes, until the aromatics begin to brown. Add the white wine, then place the seared legs on top of the aromatic base. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then gently mix in the dijon and creamy element. Seal the pan tightly with foil and roast for an hour, or until the turkey legs are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Key Point: While that's cooking, add the peeled potatoes in a large saucepan of water and cook for around 20 minutes, until soft when tested with a sharp knife.

Meanwhile, in a second pan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, mixing from time to time, for 10 to 15 minutes, until wilted. Season, then keep warm.

In a third saucepan, heat the milk gently and the leftover butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then return them to their pan. Crush the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until creamy, then add the cabbage and stir it through. Add final salt and pepper, and reheat gently before serving.

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