This was a great dish to try for St. Patrick's Day. It was delicious, savory and filling. Next time we will sauté the cabbage instead of boiling it.
Cabbage and Bacon Pie
Credit: Christopher Hirsheimer
SERVES 6 – 8
In Ireland, the term bacon is used loosely; the meat in this casserole is actually ham.
6 russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
14 tbsp. butter
6 tbsp. flour
5 cups milk
2⁄3 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 head savoy cabbage, chopped
1 cup heavy cream
2 scallions, trimmed and finely chopped
1 1⁄2 lbs. baked ham, diced
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Put potatoes into a medium pot, cover with cold water, and boil over medium-high heat until soft, 30–35 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt 6 tbsp. of the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add milk and cook, stirring often, until sauce thickens, 8–10 minutes. Add parsley and salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
3. Boil cabbage in a medium pot of boiling salted water over high heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. Drain potatoes, return them to pot, and mash until smooth. Stir in cream, the remaining 8 tbsp. butter, scallions, and salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
5. Scatter ham in bottom of a large baking dish, cover with cabbage, then sauce, then mashed potatoes, in that order, piping potatoes through a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" star tip, if you like. Bake until bubbling hot and golden on top, 30–35 minutes.
Ratings & Reviews (3)
This was quite tasty but a bit on the soupy side. I cooked the sauce forever and it never really got thick. Next time I'd make more roux. I would also increase the amount of ham by about half.
I agree with SKWERL, it was very soupy. I think next time, I'd squeeze out the blanched cabbage and try and get all the cooking water and juice out that I could. I also cheated and added a healthy pinch of dried tarragon to the sauce, and stealing from a french cooking idea, I cooked the potatoes in the milk first, then used that cooking liquid for the sauce and made up the difference in qty with a little chicken stock. My friends and I loved it.
Cabbage and Bacon Pie
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