Meat-based recipe
This warming bake layers potatoes with soft allotment cabbage and smoky bacon in a light mustard cream. Briefly cooking the cabbage first removes excess moisture, helping the layers bake evenly instead of turning watery.
Ingredients
- 800g, peeled and sliced 4–5mm thick Potatoes
- 200g, chopped Smoked streaky bacon
- 500g, cored and finely shredded Savoy or green cabbage
- 1, thinly sliced Onion
- 200ml Single cream
- 150ml Chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 10g, for greasing Butter
- to taste Black pepper
Equipment
Medium baking dish · Saucepan · Wide frying pan · Whisk
Method
- Heat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Grease a medium baking dish with butter. Put the sliced potatoes in a pan of cold water, bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes; they should bend slightly but not break. Drain carefully.
- While potatoes cook, fry the bacon in a wide pan over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until its fat renders and edges begin to brown. Add the onion and cook for 4 minutes until soft.
- Add shredded cabbage with 2 tbsp water. Cover and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once, until wilted but still bright. Uncover and cook off visible liquid for a minute.
- Whisk cream, stock and mustard together with black pepper. Layer half the potatoes in the dish, spread over the cabbage and bacon, then finish with the remaining potatoes. Pour the cream mixture evenly over the top.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake for a further 25–30 minutes until the top is golden and a knife passes easily through the centre. If the top browns too quickly, cover again.
- Rest for 10 minutes so the sauce settles before cutting into portions. Taste before adding salt because bacon and stock can already be salty.
Allotment tip
Slice potatoes evenly so they cook at the same rate. Briefly par-cooking and draining them prevents a hard centre and limits excess starch in the cream.
Serving suggestions
Serve with a sharp apple or beetroot salad, or a spoonful of mustard at the table.
Seasonal allotment note
Savoy cabbage and stored potatoes make this a useful autumn and winter meal. Young spring cabbage cooks faster, so shorten its wilting time.
Ingredient swaps
Use kale or chard instead of cabbage; wilt and drain thoroughly first. For a lighter dish, use half cream and half milk. Check stock and bacon labels if avoiding particular allergens.
Allergens: Milk (cream and butter) Mustard Check bacon and stock labels for declared allergens
Storing leftovers
Cool promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours; eat within 48 hours or freeze portions. Defrost in the fridge and reheat once until steaming hot throughout. The potato topping will soften after freezing.