Pork & parsnip cobbler

Pork & parsnip cobbler

Sweet parsnips work well with pork in this one pot autumnal warmer – it really needs little or no accompaniment

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 45 - 1 hr

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 15 mins

Freezable

Can be frozen at end of step 5

Method

  1. For the filling, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large pan and fry the pork in small batches for 4-5 minutes until just browned, then remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and fry for 5-6 minutes until soft and golden. Return the pork to the pan and sprinkle in the flour. Cook for 1 minute, stirring well.
  2. Add the celery, apricots, lemon and orange zest, apples, garlic, herbs and spices. Pour in the wine and stock and bring to simmering point, then cover and gently cook for 11⁄4 hours or until the pork is tender. Remove from the heat.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6/fan oven 180C. Peel and cut the parsnips into 2.5cm/1in dice. Put the remaining oil in a roasting tin and put in the oven for 5 minutes until hot. Tip the parsnip chunks into the roasting tin and coat in the hot oil. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes until cooked through and golden brown. Drain and set aside. When the pork is tender, stir in the parsnips. Spoon into a 2 litre/31⁄2 pint ovenproof dish and leave to cool completely.
  4. For the cobbler crust, sift the flour and season. Add the suet, butter and parsley and lightly mix in with a fork. Make a well in the centre, then add the lemon zest and juice and gently bring together to make a soft and pliable dough. If it is too dry, add a little cold water, but don't knead the dough or it will become tough. Reduce the temperature to 180C/Gas 4/fan oven 160C.
  5. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 5mm/1⁄4in thick. Cut the dough into rounds using a 7.5cm/3in pastry cutter. Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more rounds until all the dough is used up. Arrange the circles of dough so that they slightly overlap on top.
  6. Brush the dough with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 45 minutes until the crust is golden.
Try

Freezing

Make the pork and parsnip cobbler up to the end of step 5. Double wrap in its dish in cling film and freeze for up to 2 months. The evening before serving, put the frozen cobbler into the fridge and leave to thaw overnight. Continue from step 6.

Per serving

825 kcalories, protein 31.0g, carbohydrate 49.0g, fat 29.0 g, saturated fat 10.0g, fibre 7.0g, salt 0.88 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2001.

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Latest comments and suggestions

  • Binder photo Lynsey

    31 October 2007

    Lynsey rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Carol

    08 December 2007

    Carol rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Enjoyed the selection of herbs especially the lovely licorice fennel but the addition of curry in this dish was not to my taste. I also found that the completed dish turned out to be too dry as all the tasty liquer evaporated in the cooking! Maybe herb dumplings would have been a better idea to complete this dish. It would have cut down on the cooking and waiting time for the dish to cool.

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  • Binder photo Tina

    22 February 2008

    Tina rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo recipes

    24 January 2009

    recipes rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    Surprisingly, given the fruit & parsnips, didn't come out toosweet. A nice winter stew - left out th curry - and din't make the cobbler top.

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  • Binder photo JellyCake

    26 February 2009

    JellyCake rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I've made this several times now and everyone always enjoys it. I cut the parsnips much smaller otherwise I find they take over the dish. I usually make this the day before, refrigerate it, then add the topping and cook for the last 45 mins or so. It's my 3 year old daughters favourite!!

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  • Binder photo Patricia

    10 March 2009

    Patricia rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I also left out the curry powder,fennel ,orange and lemon as not to our taste .I cooked it in my slow cooker transfering it to the oven to cook the topping. Made it with some local farm pork from our village it was delicious and a huge hit for a family meal ,enjoyed by my 83 year old mum and my 2 year old grandaughter alike.

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  • Binder photo Accyally

    29 August 2009

    Accyally rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very easy - but a bit long to make. Hubby doesn't like apricots, fennel or celery...but loved this!! Will definately make again.

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  • Binder photo hippofood

    31 October 2010

    hippofood commented on this recipe

    I served this for guests and we all really enjoyed it. The pork was very tender and the herbs/spices didn't 'take over'. Agree could do with a bit more sauce, but I added enough Bisto Pork gravy to moisten before adding the topping. I also increased the amount of topping as when I placed on top I didn't think there was enough. I will definitely use this recipe again, especially at this time of year.

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  • Binder photo hippofood

    31 October 2010

    hippofood rated this recipe

    3 stars

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  • Binder photo hippofood

    31 October 2010

    hippofood commented on this recipe

    PS I meant to make that 5 Stars.

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  • Binder photo Wilcook66

    11 January 2011

    Wilcook66 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Easy, delicious, wholesome! Perfect for these miserable winter days...and to help get rid of my 2 foot long parsnips! :0)

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  • Binder photo Sueattemplehill

    30 January 2011

    Sueattemplehill rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Quite sweet but naturally so. May be slightly less lemon in the cobbler top. Otherwise a lovely dish. Everyone enjoyed it even the kids.

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  • Binder photo Anne

    19 July 2011

    Anne rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Delicious and froze well. I will make more cobbler next time.

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  • Binder photo Anne

    02 October 2011

    Anne commented on this recipe

    Really tasty. Will make again with less lemon and more cobbler.

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  • Binder photo Tracey

    16 October 2011

    Tracey rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Didn't have time to let it cool - not sure what difference it would have made as it came out nice anyway! Didn't have enough apricots so used some butter nut squash instead (roasted with the parsnips). Found there was plenty of juices in mine. Sweetness was offset by lemon in topping. Will make again.

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  • Binder photo Howzy64

    24 November 2011

    Howzy64 rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Left out the fennel and the result was a great fruity flavour. Possibly the curry powder is unecessary, though it worked well with the fruit flavours. When I realised the sheer amount of filling that the ingredients produced I made a bigger topping mix and made another dish for freezing. Quite a bit of work to do when making this dish but I'll definitely be doing it again.

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  • Binder photo CarlyB

    06 February 2012

    CarlyB rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Delicious combination - perfect winter warmer. I have coeliac disease so we made the cobbler with gluten free suet and flour - the result was delicious if a little biscuitty. My only criticism would be that the recipe is rather involved to make, so really only a Sunday afternoon dish.

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  • Binder photo BristolSmarties

    16 February 2013

    BristolSmarties commented on this recipe

    I found the cobbler much too lemony, but apart from that it tasted great. Mine had plenty of juice, not too dry at all. I would make it again and leave out the lemon from the cobbler

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 45 - 1 hr

Cook time

Cook 2 hrs 15 mins

Freezable

Can be frozen at end of step 5

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 900g diced pork
  • 2 small onions , finely sliced
  • 1 tbsp plain flour
  • 2 celery sticks, finely chopped
  • 225g ready-to-eat dried apricots
  • finely grated zest 1 lemon
  • finely grated zest 1 orange
  • 2 Cox's apples , peeled and chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves , crushed
  • 2 tsp each finely chopped fresh thyme , rosemary and sage
  • good pinch of curry powder
  • ½ tsp ground fennel seed
  • ½ bottle red wine
  • 600ml vegetable stock
  • 650g parsnips

FOR THE COBBLER CRUST

  • 200g self-raising flour
  • 85g shredded suet
  • 50g chilled butter , grated
  • 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • beaten egg , to glaze
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Per serving

825 kcalories, protein 31.0g, carbohydrate 49.0g, fat 29.0 g, saturated fat 10.0g, fibre 7.0g, salt 0.88 g

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