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In our culinary practice, regularly slow-cook drumsticks, since all the preparation can be done beforehand. For Christmas, the same technique is perfect with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, although fluffy rice, boiled new potatoes or roast carrots make fine alternatives.

Slow-Cooked Turkey with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up for extra guests – all you need is an enlarged cooking vessel.

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 finely chopped
• 2 shallots, peeled and sliced
• 5 slices streaky bacon, cut into pieces
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 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 such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• ½ savoy cabbage, thinly sliced
• Salt and black pepper
• 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed

Cooking Instructions

Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of sunflower oil in a large, deep cast-iron frying pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, 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 cooking fat.

Place the butter in the pan, followed by the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Sauté over medium-high heat several minutes, until the aromatics soften and color. Pour in the wine, then lay the turkey legs on top of the mixture. Introduce the 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 are fall-off-the-bone tender.

Key Point: Meanwhile, place the potato chunks in a pan of boiling water and cook for around 20 minutes, until easily pierced with a skewer.

In another saucepan, warm a portion of the butter, then add the garlic for a couple of minutes. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for 10-15 minutes, until tender. Adjust the seasoning, then keep warm.

In the meantime, in a pan, warm the milk and the rest of the butter. Strain the softened potatoes, then put them back in the hot pot. Mash the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until smooth, then incorporate the greens and combine well. 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.