Cabbage is a versatile vegetable that makes a great side dish for many meals, from fish to roasted meat of your choice.
However, like Brussels sprouts, cabbage often gets bad press, evoking bad memories of unpleasant school dinners but it doesn’t have to be like that if it is cooked a certain way.
With a careful hand, cabbage can be transformed from the stuff of nightmares to a versatile and delicious addition to many a meal.
Taking to his website, Jamie Oliver shared a braised white cabbage recipe that he claims is “super easy” and takes just 15 minutes to make.
He said: “The combo of sliced white cabbage, bacon and fresh thyme is a total classic and has bags of lovely flavour.”
Ingredients
565ml organic chicken or vegetable stock
Six rashers of higher-welfare smoked streaky bacon
A few sprigs of fresh thyme
One white cabbage
One small knob of unsalted butter
Extra virgin olive oil
Method
Start by pouring the stock of your choice into a large pan, then add the bacon and thyme leaves. Place over a medium heat and bring it to a boil.
Meanwhile, discard any tatty outer leaves from the cabbage before halving and very finely slicing the rest. The tough core should also be discarded.
Once boiling, add the cabbage to the stock, mix well, pop the lid on and boil furiously for around five minutes.
Afterwards, turn the heat down to a simmer and continue to cook until the cabbage is a pleasure to eat, topping up with a little extra stock or water if needed.
Test the cabbage for tenderness. If necessary, add more water and continue cooking, with the pan covered.
Finally, add the butter and a good amount of extra virgin olive oil. Season the cabbage to taste with sea salt and black pepper, then serve immediately.
Leftover braised cabbage should be allowed to cool to room temperature and refrigerated within two hours of cooking.
Store it in a shallow, airtight container and eat within three to five days.
