Holiday Centerpiece Effortless: A Simmered Drumsticks Recipe with Colcannon

In our culinary practice, regularly slow-cook drumsticks, because all the preparation is finished beforehand. During the holidays, I often employ for turkey legs – it offers a superb approach to enjoy them. Pair it with creamy mashed potatoes with cabbage, but steamed rice, steamed baby potatoes or roast carrots would also go great.

Simmered Drumsticks with A Creamy Herb Sauce, and Colcannon

This can easily be scaled up for extra guests – simply require an enlarged cooking vessel.

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 30 min
Serves 2

For the Braised Legs:

• 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 quartered
• 5 slices streaky bacon, chopped
• 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

Method

Set the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Add a generous splash of neutral oil in a 23cm wide x 7cm high pan. Pat the turkey legs dry and season, then place them in the hot oil and brown, flipping once, until beautifully seared on both sides. Remove the legs to a plate, then remove the excess oil.

Place the butter in the pan, and then incorporate the garlic, shallots, bacon and sage. Sauté over medium-high heat five to 10 minutes, until the shallots and bacon soften and color. Deglaze with the wine, then place the seared legs on top of the vegetables. Introduce the stock so the turkey legs are covered halfway, then whisk in the mustard and creme fraiche. Seal the pan tightly with foil and bake for an hour, or until the turkey legs are completely cooked through.

Key Point: While that's cooking, add the peeled potatoes in a pan of boiling water and cook for until tender, until tender when pricked with a fork.

In another saucepan, heat a couple of spoonfuls of the butter, then add the garlic for a couple of minutes. Add the cabbage and cook on a simmer, tossing now and then, for 10 to 15 minutes, until soft. Adjust the seasoning, then remove from the heat.

In a third saucepan, combine the milk and the leftover butter. Once the potatoes are done, drain them, then return them to their pan. Crush the potatoes with the creamy liquid until lump-free, then add the cabbage and stir it through. Add final salt and pepper, and hold over low heat before serving.

When the braising is complete, dish up with the colcannon and the vegetables and juices from the pan.