CABBAGE

King cabbage

School dinners have given this brassica a bad rap, but don’t dismiss it just yet

Anyone who has ever had school dinners will remember the rank smell of overcooked cabbage that permeated the dining hall, and the pile of limp, slimy leaves that would be slopped onto your plate. No wonder, then, that so many people recoil in horror at the thought of cooking with cabbage.

With a light touch, however, the cabbage is a wonderful vegetable. And with so many varieties available, and the flavour varying from type-to-type — ranging from savoury to gently sweet — there’s bound to be something beautiful to brighten your plate.

The round, crinkle-leafed Savoy cabbage and the pale, lozenge-shaped Chinese leaf are considered to be two of the best to cook with, while a red cabbage will not only add flavour, but a dramatic splash of colour to a dish.

No matter which variety you use however, the key is to keep the cooking time brief to ensure that you get the very best flavour and also avoid the less-than-pleasant school dinner aroma from seeping all over the house.

Try stir-frying a Savoy cabbage with garlic, ginger and chilli, or thinly slice white cabbage and use in salads or slaws.

The only exception to the quick cooking rule is red cabbage, which is just delicious slow braised with spices to make a rich and satisfying side dish.

When choosing your cabbage, look for bright, crisp leaves, and avoid any with holes (where a pesky insect might have burrowed its way in). Be wary too if it looks like outer leaves have been stripped away as it’s a common trick by some retailers to make older stock look fresher than it really is. Cabbages should be stored in the fridge — either in their original packaging, or in a loosely tied plastic bag.

BRAISED SAVOY CABBAGE WITH PANCETTA

Cabbage and salty pork are natural bedfellows and this easy recipe is a great way to enjoy them together. It's particularly good with crinkly savoy cabbage, but any green or white cabbage will do. If you don't have pancetta use bacon instead. This is good with sausages or pork chops and mashed potatoes mixed with a teaspoon of wholegrain mustard.

SERVES 4

25g butter 250g pancetta, cut into 2cm dice 1 onion, finely diced 2 carrots, peeled and finely diced 2 celery sticks, finely diced 1 bay leaf 6 sage leaves, finely shredded 1 medium Savoy cabbage, outer leaves removed then quartered 500ml chicken stock

1 Melt the butter in a heavy-based casserole style pan, one with a lid. Add the pancetta and fry, stirring now and then, until browned. 2 Turn the heat to low, add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes (this helps render the fat in the pancetta down). 3 Add the bay leaf, sage and cabbage wedges. Pour in the stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring up to a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, until the cabbage is tender. 4 Check the seasoning before serving.

Recipe by Riverford (riverford.co.uk)

PORK AND CABBAGE ROLLS

SERVES 4

4 boneless pork cutlets (escalopes) - use fairly thin ones and trim off any excess fat 4 large Savoy cabbage leaves 4 slices serrano, Parma or other airdried ham 2 eggs 2 tbsp milk 100g dry breadcrumbs, seasoned with salt and pepper Oil for frying, e.g. vegetable or sunflower

1 Place the cutlets between a sheet of clingfilm and use a rolling pin to bash the cutlets to ½cm thick. In a large pan of boiling water (don't add salt or the leaves will lose their green colour), cook the cabbage leaves for 4 minutes. Drain, plunge into a bowl of cold water to refresh, then drain again. 2 Cut out the v-shaped stalk, keeping the whole leaf intact. Cut each leaf in half lengthways. Lay a cutlet on your chopping board or work surface. Place a slice of ham on top, then 2 pieces of cabbage leaf. Roll up tightly and secure with a cocktail stick or two. Repeat with the other cutlets. Place on a baking tray and chill for 10 minutes (this helps keep the shape). 3 Beat the eggs and mix with the milk in a flattish bowl. Have the breadcrumbs ready in a similar bowl. Remove the cocktail sticks and dip pork rolls in the egg mixture and then in the breadcrumbs to coat. 4 Heat 2cm of oil in a wide deep pan to 180˚C/Gas Mark 4 (use a deep fat fryer if you have one). Fry the rolls for 6-8 minutes, turning, until the pork is cooked through and the breadcrumbs are golden. Drain on kitchen paper. Alternatively bake in the oven at 190'C/Gas 5 (keep the cocktail sticks in if baking) on a non-stick tray until golden brown and cooked through. Cut in half at an angle to serve.

Recipe by Riverford (riverford.co.uk)

RED CABBAGE AND BEETROOT ON WINTER SALAD WITH HAZELNUT DUKKAH

This vibrant coloured salad is best served warm but is also good the next day. Dukkah is a mixture of spices, nuts and seeds that is popular in Egypt. You can make double the dukkah recipe and save half in a jar for later use.

SERVES 4-6

FOR THE WARM SALAD 1 small red cabbage 4 medium beetroot 1 red onion Juice of ½ a small lemon 1 tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper Baby salad leaves, rocket or watercress FOR THE DUKKAH 20g hazelnuts, chopped roughly 2 tbsp sesame seeds 2 tsp cumin seeds 2 tsp coriander seeds 1 tsp thyme leaves or dried thyme 1 tsp paprika ½ tsp each of salt and pepper 1 Preheat the oven to 180˚C/Gas Mark 4. 2 Cut the cabbage in half, remove the white core and then cut the rest into 1cm slices. Chop the beetroot in half and then into 8 wedges. Cut the red onion in half, remove the skin and cut into thin wedges. 3 Place the cabbage, onion and beetroot in a large roasting dish with the olive oil, lemon juice and salt and pepper and roast for 30-40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the beetroot is tender. 4 While the vegetables are cooking you can make the dukkah. Heat a frying pan and add the coriander seeds. Move them around for 30 seconds then add the cumin, sesame and hazelnuts. Dry-fry the spices and nuts for a minute or two until they smell fragrant and the cumin starts to ‘pop’. 5 Grind the spices and nuts with the thyme, paprika and salt and pepper in a pestle and mortar or small food processor. 6 Sprinkle the Dukkah over the roasted vegetables and give them a toss so they are well coated. Place the salad leaves on a large serving dish and arrange the roasted red cabbage and beetroot on top.

Recipe by Jo Ingleby for The Community Farm (thecommunityfarm.co.uk)