Cheesy Cabbage, Leek, and Potato Bake

 

 

  OK, I know I say this all the time, but seriously, this is one of the most delicious things I've made in quite a long time. One of my favorite things is to take a recipe and then springboard it into something of my own. And that's exactly what I've done here!

 I recently discovered a foodie and cookbook author by the name of Amy Sheppard, and I literally want to eat every single thing she makes. When I saw a tiktok video of her making a cheesy cabbage and leek dish, I knew it would immediately land on my short list of recipes to try. She originally described it as being the perfect side dish for your Christmas Dinner to be served with a roast chicken or beef, but I think it sounds more like a St Patrick's Day recipe. Clearly, it screams to be served with a big ol' St Patrick's day ham or a big honkin' corned beef brisket, dontcha think?! Cheesy cabbage leeks.. how could you go wrong? But then I thought, wait, it needs potatoes. Can't have an Irish meal without potatoes, now can we? I think not! To be fair, she did serve hers with some fabulous roasted potatoes on the side, but I wanted the potatoes to be right in the dish with the leeks and cabbage.  

    Side note..... Most recipes using leeks direct you to discard the tough green ends, but that's a big fat waste of food, if you ask me. Those greens are perfectly edible and absolutely delicious! They just need a little extra cooking time, that's all (much like collard greens or kale.) So I figured, well, I'm about to boil the potatoes anyway...  why not braise the greens right along with them? And while I'm at it, why not use broth instead of water for more flavor? And there we have it.

  Anyway, the rest of the recipe just sort of fell into place after that, again taking inspiration from Amy Sheppard Food (seriously look her up on any social media. You'll be glad you did!). It's just a classic Mornay Sauce with the addition of some herbs and a little mustard. Add a crushed cracker topping and you have the most fabulous comforting side dish you've ever tasted. Serve it up with your St Patrick's Day meal, and yes, definitely your roast beef or chicken dinner. I promise you'll get rave reviews! Thank you for the inspiration, Miss Amy! This one is definitely a keeper! 

 

 

 

1 1/2 lbs small baby red potatoes, cut in halves or quarters

1 large leek

2 (15oz) cans chicken or vegetable broth

1 small head green cabbage, roughly chopped

4 tbs butter 

4 tbs flour

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup milk

8oz Swiss cheese, shredded

3 or 4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from the stem

5 or 6 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

1 tbs Dijon, brown, or any favorite prepared mustard 

a big pinch each of salt and pepper 

about 15 Ritz crackers 

 

 Cut the tough green ends from the leek (set the white end aside). Rinse well to remove any sand or grit. Slice the leek greens into small slices, then add to a large shallow pan along with the quartered potatoes and one can of broth. Cover and cook on high until the liquid is absorbed and the potatoes and greens are tender. Remove to a large casserole dish. 

 While the potatoes and greens are braising, remove the root tip from the white end of the leek, rinse layers of any sand or grit, then slice. Using the same pan that you used to cook the potatoes, add the butter over medium heat. When the butter is melted, add the chopped cabbage and sliced whites of the leeks. Stir and saute for about 5 minutes or until the cabbage begins to soften. Stir in flour. Continue to stir and saute for about 2 minutes, then add the other can of broth. It should begin to thicken fairly quickly. Now add the cream, milk, cheese, herbs, mustard, salt and pepper. Stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Pour cheesy mixture over potatoes and leek greens. Gently stir to combine. Now sprinkle the cracker crumbs over the top. Bake for about 30-45 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for about 10-15 minutes after removing from oven. Serve with boiled ham, corned beef, pork chops, or any favorite roast dinner. 

Tips:

 Since I used baby potatoes, there was no need to peel them. But you can easily use whatever potatoes you have on hand and just peel them. You could even use up leftover boiled potatoes or "boilies" as my Dad used to call them. 

Don't have fresh basil or thyme? Use dried! Or you could even use poultry seasoning blend.  Use any herbs you like! You could even add a pinch of caraway or celery seeds. Don't have any herbs at all? Just leave 'em out! It won't be exactly the same, but it'll still be delish! 

If you'd like to serve it as a main dish instead of a side, feel free to add some diced ham or chicken to make it a complete one dish casserole. 

Btw, if you're feeling creative, you can omit the potatoes and toss the whole thing with some cooked elbow pasta, then top with grated Parmesan cheese. It would be like a variation on mac and cheese!

 

 

Sweet Potato, Apple, and Leek Casserole

 When I first saw this recipe, I immediately thought of my Butternut and Apple Gratin, and I wondered if it would be too similar. But then I looked a little more closely and decided: similar-yes, the same-no, worth trying-absolutely YES! So here we are!
 It's a Trisha Yearwood recipe and it has Fall written all over it. Sweet potatoes, apples, fresh thyme.. three of my all time favorite things EVER in the whole wide world. And I must say it was VERY easy to make! It's a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving, you can do it easily a day or two in advance, and then just reheat for the big dinner! It's actually even better the second day, so if you CAN do it in advance, do it! Oh, and it's a great vegetarian dish, in case you happen to have any non-meat eaters at your table! Even if you're not making it for Thanksgiving, it would be amazing with a store bought rotisserie chicken and some cranberry sauce, or even as a vegetarian main dish along with a side salad. Doesn't that sound fabulous??? Try it!

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts sliced lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 large sweet potato (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 large or 2 medium red skinned apples, such as Gala or Honeycrisp (about 12 ounces), halved, cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

 

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and 2 tablespoons water; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, about 8 minutes. Add the thyme and then the cream and cook until the liquid thickens, about 2 minutes; set aside. 

In a 2-quart shallow baking dish, arrange the sweet potato in overlapping layers. Spread the leek mixture evenly over the potatoes. Arrange the apples in an overlapping layer on the leeks. Brush the apples with the remaining tablespoon of oil and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake 40 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake until the Parmesan is golden brown and melted, about 20 minutes more. The tip of a paring knife should easily pierce the apples and potatoes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

Tips:

Be sure to clean the leeks very well: After you slice them in half lengthwise, hold them under running water and separate the layers in order to rinse out any sand that is between the layers. Then proceed with slicing them crosswise, as the recipe directs.

 If you don't have leeks, you could absolutely substitute a mild or sweet onion, thinly sliced.

If you don't have fresh thyme, then by all means, use about a tsp of dried thyme leaves. 

Oh, and one other thing...  be sure to really season your casserole. Like, be generous with the salt and pepper. If your food tastes bland, it's because you didn't add enough salt! If you are restricting salt from your diet, then use a salt substitute. I know it seems simple to say, but most times, when people ask me why my food tastes better than when they make it, it's because I always season my food aggressively. Taste as you go, and it'll be fabulous when it's finished!