🔗 Share this article Christmas Star Dish Made Easy: A Slow-Cooked Drumsticks Dish with Colcannon At our kitchen, frequently braise poultry and game legs, as the entire process can be done in advance. For Christmas, this method works wonderfully with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach to enjoy them. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, although steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or caramelized carrots are also excellent. Braised Turkey Legs with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Colcannon The recipe is easily doubled for a larger gathering – you’ll just need an enlarged cooking vessel. 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 diced 2 shallots, peeled and halved 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 Colcannon: 500g large floury potatoes like Russets, peeled and cut into chunks. 100g unsalted butter 2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced 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 neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high cast-iron frying pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then place them in the hot oil and sear, cooking on both sides, until golden brown on both sides. Transfer the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the fat. Melt the butter in the pan, followed by the chopped garlic, shallots, diced bacon and sage leaves. Cook on a medium-high heat until fragrant, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Deglaze with the wine, then return the turkey on top of the vegetables. Add enough chicken stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Cover the pan with foil and bake for an hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through. Chef's Note: Meanwhile, place the potato chunks in a pan of boiling water and cook for around 20 minutes, until tender when pricked with a fork. Meanwhile, in a second pan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then cook the diced garlic for until aromatic. Stir in the shredded savoy and cook on a gentle heat, mixing from time to time, for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Season, then remove from the heat. In the meantime, in a pan, heat the milk gently and the remaining butter. Drain the cooked potatoes, then return them to their pan. Crush the potatoes with the warm milk and butter until creamy, then fold in the cooked cabbage and combine well. Season again to taste, and keep warm before serving. After the hour is up, plate alongside the colcannon and the aromatics and rich sauce from the pan.