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There is still enough time to make the most of the beautiful winter veg that we can buy at the moment. This dish showcases lovely English swede and glorious Savoy cabbage, serve it as a centre piece of as a hearty side dish.

Serves 4.

1 tsp Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil, divided (I use The Magnificent Seed)
1 swede chopped
1 medium Savoy cabbage
150ml vegetable stock
120g grated cheddar cheese
100ml milk
2 tbsp cornflour

Herb Crust
25g wholemeal breadcrumbs
½ tbsp thyme leaves
1 tbsp tarragon leaves, chopped
Zest of ½ lemon

Place all the ingredients for the herb crust in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside.

In a large pan of boiling water simmer the swede until softened, drain well.

Add 1/2 tsp oil to the pan and heat. Toss the cooked swede in the pan and allow to caramelise (a tsp of brown sugar will aid the process but isn’t completely necessary). When it’s completely soft and caramelised remove from the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to a medium heat, add the remaining oil and stir in the cabbage, along with ½ teaspoon of salt and a grind of black pepper, then pour over the stock. Cook for 10–15 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and there are about 3 tablespoons of stock left in the pan.

Strain in a colander and set aside.

Meanwhile make the cheese sauce; blend the cornflour with a little of the milk to form a smooth paste, slowly add the rest of the milk and warm over a low heat until it thickens. Stir through 60g of the cheddar until melted and season.

Preheat the oven to 200°C

Spread the cabbage out on the base of a rectangular ovenproof dish, 18cm by 25cm wide and 7cm deep. Sprinkle over half of the remaining cheese and spread the swede pieces on top.

Pour over the cheese sauce, then crumble the remaining cheese on top. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Scatter over the herb crust and cook for a further 10–15 minutes until the herb crust is toasted.

Serve immediately with crusty bread or as a side dish.