🔗 Share this article Christmas Star Dish Made Easy: An Simmered Drumsticks Dish with Creamy Potato & Cabbage At our kitchen, regularly simmer poultry and game legs, as every step can be done in advance. During the holidays, I often employ for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Accompany it with colcannon, although basmati rice, boiled new potatoes or roast carrots make fine alternatives. Braised Turkey Legs with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Creamy Potato & Cabbage The recipe is easily doubled to feed more people – all you need is a larger pan. Prep 20 min Cook 1 hr 30 min Serves 2 For the Main Dish: 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 sliced 5 slices streaky bacon, diced 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 minced ½ savoy cabbage, shredded Salt and black pepper 100ml milk whole or semi-skimmed Method Preheat your oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Heat two tablespoons of sunflower oil in a oven-safe cast-iron frying pan. Season the turkey legs, then add them to the pan and sear, flipping once, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the excess oil. Add the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the aromatics and bacon. Fry for several minutes, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Add the white wine, then place the seared legs on top of the vegetables. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are halfway immersed, then gently mix in the mustard and creme fraiche. Place a foil lid on the pan and bake for about 60 minutes, or until the turkey legs can bend in half with ease. Key Point: While that's cooking, put the potatoes in a pot of salted boiling water and cook for 20 minutes, until soft when tested with a fork. Meanwhile, in a second pan, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes, until soft. Add salt and pepper, then remove from the heat. In a third saucepan, warm the milk and the leftover butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then mash them in the same pot. Mash the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until lump-free, then incorporate the greens and mix it in thoroughly. Add final salt and pepper, and hold over low heat before serving. After the hour is up, plate alongside the colcannon and the vegetables and juices from the pan.