No Waste Bacon and Cabbage Pie with Cider Cream Sauce and Potato Topping.

What's the story? 'This dish is deeply sentimental to me. My grandmother loved her bacon and cabbage, and during lockdown, when I had just returned from Australia, I spent a lot of time cooking for her. One evening, I created this pie as a comforting twist on her favourite meal. It became one of the last dishes I made for her before she passed away, so every time I cook it, it brings back memories of those precious moments we shared in the kitchen.' - Mark Foley. Here's the recipe Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 25 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr 15 mins

Left over bacon and Cabbage made into nice comfort food perfect for a cold day. For the Filling:

 500g of bacon or collar bacon, diced

 1 small green cabbage (about 500g), finely shredded

 1 large onion, finely chopped

 2 cloves garlic, minced

 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dried)

 330ml dry Irish cider

 200ml double cream

 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

 Salt and freshly ground black pepper

 1 tbsp butter or oil (if needed for cooking)

For the Topping:

 1.2kg of Baby Potatoes

 100g butter

 Salt and white pepper, to taste

Optional Garnish:

 Chopped chives or parsley

 A knob of butter melted over the mash before baking

Method

1. Prepare the potato topping:

 Place the potatoes in a pot of salted cold water. Bring to a boil and simmer until fork-

tender (15–20 mins).

 Coat in butter and seasoning then, set aside .

2. Cook the bacon and cabbage:

 In a large pan over medium heat, colour the diced bacon until golden and crisp (5–7

mins). If the bacon is very lean, you can add a little butter or oil.

 Add the chopped onion and cook until soft and translucent (about 5 mins).

 Stir in the garlic and thyme, cooking for another minute.

 Add the shredded cabbage and cook down until wilted and tender, around 5–7 mins.

Season with a little black pepper.

3. Make the cider cream sauce:

 Pour in the cider, bring to a simmer and reduce by about half (8–10 mins).

 Stir in the cream and mustard, simmer for another 2–3 mins until thickened slightly.

Adjust seasoning. It should be rich and just coat the back of a spoon.

4. Assemble the pie:

 Preheat oven to 180°C (fan) / 200°C (conventional) / 400°F.

 Transfer the bacon and cabbage filling into a deep casserole dish (roughly 30x20cm).

 Crush the Baby Potatoes with your hands and layer on top, spreading it out to the

edges. Use a fork to create texture on the surface for crispy bits.

5. Bake:

 Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes until the top is golden and the filling is bubbling at

the edges.

 Optional: brush the mash with a little melted butter before baking for extra colour.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with steamed green beans or a crisp green salad with apple and walnuts. A glass of the

same cider used in the sauce would be a cracking pairing.

Make-Ahead and Storage

 Assemble the pie up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate before baking.

 Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and reheated in the oven or

microwave.

 Freezes well: freeze before baking (without garnish), then defrost and bake as normal. Enjoy!