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At our kitchen, regularly simmer drumsticks, because all the preparation is completed ahead of time. During the holidays, I often employ on the holiday bird's legs – it’s a lovely way to enjoy them. Accompany it with buttery potato and greens, but steamed rice, simple boiled potatoes or roast carrots make fine alternatives.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up for extra guests – you’ll just need a larger pan.

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 minced
• 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 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 Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage:

• 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

Directions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high cast-iron frying pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then lay them in the pan and fry, turning once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the excess oil.

Place the butter in the pan, then add the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Cook on a medium-high heat until fragrant, until the aromatics take on some colour. Deglaze with the wine, then return the turkey on top of the mixture. Pour in the stock so the turkey legs are partially submerged, then whisk in the dijon and creamy element. Cover the pan with foil and bake for one hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Key Point: At the same time, place the potato chunks in a large saucepan of water and cook for until tender, until soft when tested with a skewer.

In another saucepan, warm a portion of the butter, then sauté the garlic for a couple of minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for 10 to 15 minutes, until wilted. Season, then remove from the heat.

In the meantime, in a pan, warm the milk and the leftover butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Crush the potatoes with the creamy liquid until lump-free, then fold in the cooked cabbage and combine well. Add final salt and pepper, and keep warm before serving.

After the hour is up, plate alongside the creamy potato side and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.