Cabbage, ham and mushroom galette: a recipe

Cabbage, ham and mushroom galette with horseradish cream

Not a big fan of cabbage? Neither am I.

For years, my association with cabbage has been the overcooked corned beef and cabbage dinner served in bulk at the annual St. Patrick's Day dinner and fete that our local church held (and that my parents forced me attend, even as a sullen teenager) while I was growing up.

I'm not sure which was worse, the soggy brown cabbage or the band of non-Irish locals in plaid pants playing "Danny Boy". (I believe the pipes were calling those pants back home, stat.)

Yeah, you would have bad cabbage flashbacks, too.

But remember, I'm the girl who thought she didn't like bacon or sausage until I was in my late twenties and now I'm practically the pork princess. Therefore, I know my tastes can change, so perhaps I could learn to appreciate cabbage.

Moreover, I love my short-cut galettes with sweet fillings so when I came across this recipe for a savory cabbage one from Smitten Kitchen, I figured the pipes were calling me to give cabbage another shot.

Clearly the key to cabbage is not cooking the bejeesus out of it, as well as pairing it with complementary flavors, not just a big old slab of corned beef. The mushrooms and cabbage were the perfect pairing, their earthy flavor tempered a little by the buttery-ness of the pastry.

Being a little skeptical of the heartiness of vegetarian entrees (sorry, but I'm a die-hard meatasaurus, there's no denying it), I added some ham to make it more substantial. If you'd prefer bacon, that would be a perfect substitution as well.

Or, in honor of the upcoming St. Patrick's Day, you could add some corned beef. Just keep your plaid pants in the closet, Danny Boy.

Pin It

Cabbage, Mushroom and Ham Galette with Horseradish Cream (inspired by Smitten Kitchen)

Ingredients:
1 refrigerated pie crust (such as Pillsbury -- they come 2 to a box)
2 teaspoons olive oil (or use a little butter)
1 medium onion, diced
4 ounces sliced mushrooms
3-4 ounces cooked chopped ham
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage (I used Savoy)
salt and pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup light sour cream
2-3 tablespoons prepared horseradish

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Unroll the pie crust onto a baking sheet and roll it out to about a 12-inch circle. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook until they are just beginning to get tender (about 4 minutes). Add the ham and thyme and cook a few minutes more, until the vegetables are softened and the ham is heated. Next, add the cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until it is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place the cabbage mixture in the center of the dough circle, leaving a 3-inch border all around the edge. Fold the dough toward the center, pressing gently to seal at about 2-inch intervals. Brush the dough and the exposed cabbage mixture with the melted butter. Bake until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.

While the galette bakes, combine the prepared horseradish and sour cream and in a small bowl. Serve with the warm galette.