I know that this picture doesn’t look like much, but I assure you that this recipe for ham and cabbage pie is a keeper. It’s everything you would hope a dish, that is made in a dutch oven, to be. It’s one of those dishes, where you eat your fill and then continue to go back for seconds and thirds ,even though you are full and have probably maxed out your utility curve, and therefore aren’t deriving much more pleasure from it, but you just can’t stop yourself. Did I mention that it also makes great leftovers? Although the puff pastry will never been as good as it is when it first comes out of the oven, it still makes it through the refrigeration process quite well.

Ham and Cabbage Pie

2 tbsp butter

1 large onion, chopped

1 head of green cabbage, cut roughly

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

scant 1 ½ cups hot chicken stock

salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tbsp english mustard, I used Dijon

2/3 cup 10-18% cream

2-3 cups cut ham, cut into chunks

half a 450g package frozen puff pastry, thawed

1 large egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 350

Melt butter in a large frying pan, add the onions and fry slowly for about 15 minutes or until softened and caramelised. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside. Meanwhile plunge cabbage into a pot of salted boiling water for 5-10 minutes, or until it has softened a little. Melt the other 2 tbsp of butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the flour and cook for 1 minute, whisking to combine. Gradually add the stock whisking briskly until it thickens. If it goes a little lumpy, don’t worry; just whisk vigorously until it becomes smooth. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3–4 minutes. Season with a generous pinch of salt, black pepper and add the mustard. Pour in the cream and stir through allowing to cook for a further minute. Add the cabbage and ham to the sauce and stir well. Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof baking dish. Roll the pastry out on to a floured work surface, large enough to fit the top of the dish. Brush the edges of the dish with a little beaten egg and place the pastry on top of the pie. Brush with a little more beaten egg and cook in the oven for 25 minutes until the pastry is puffed and golden.