🔗 Share this article

In our culinary practice, we often slow-cook poultry and game legs, as all the preparation can be done in advance. During the holidays, this method works wonderfully with turkey drumsticks – it offers a superb approach to eat them. Serve with colcannon, but basmati rice, steamed baby potatoes or roast carrots would also go great.

Simmered Drumsticks with Sage, Mustard and Creme Fraiche, and Colcannon

You can readily increase the portions for a larger gathering – simply require an enlarged cooking vessel.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Main Dish:

• 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 diced
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 5 slices streaky bacon, diced
• 8 sage leaves fresh is best
• 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 such as Maris Piper, peeled and cut into chunks.
• 100g unsalted butter
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• ½ savoy cabbage, finely chopped
• 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 neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high pan. Liberally salt and pepper the drumsticks, then lay them in the pan and sear, flipping once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then pour out and discard the fat.

Melt the butter in the pan, followed by the aromatics and bacon. Sauté over medium-high heat several minutes, until the aromatics soften and color. 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 gently mix in the mustard and creme fraiche. Place a foil lid on the pan and cook in the oven 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 pot of salted boiling water and cook for until tender, until easily pierced with a skewer.

Using a separate skillet, melt two tablespoons of the butter, then sauté the garlic for two minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a gentle heat, stirring occasionally, for until softened, until wilted. Season, then keep warm.

Using another small pot, warm the milk and the remaining butter. Once the potatoes are done, drain them, then return them to their pan. Mash the potatoes with the heated dairy mixture until creamy, then incorporate the greens and mix it in thoroughly. Add final salt and pepper, and hold over low heat before serving.

When the braising is complete, plate alongside the colcannon and the cooking liquid from the pan.