Brussels Sprouts and Red Cabbage for Christmas

Hi everyone,
 
All our bags this week have a head of Red Cabbage which can of course be used in salads but a great, and very seasonal, way to use this variety is to cook it slowly with Apple, Spices, Red Wine Vinegar and Sugar which gives it a beautiful sweet and sour flavour. It’s a dish some people serve on Christmas day (and I’d say it makes just about any roast) so if you’re stuck for ideas this might be just the thing especially because you can make it the day before and it looks really beautiful (you can do that Nigella thing of matching your food to your outfit with this one)
 
Braised Red Cabbage with Apple and Spices (This recipe will serve 4-6 as part of a roast meat meal but as it keeps well you may want to make more)
Finely shred 500gr Red Cabbage discarding the core and any tough leaves. Finely slice 1 large Onion and sauté over a lowish heat with a generous knob of Butter until soft. While the Onions are cooking, in a casserole dish (or any ovenproof dish with a lid) combine the Cabbage, 1 Large Apple grated, 4-5 Cloves, a Cinnamon stick (or generous pinch of powdered Cinnamon), 1/4 teaspoon Allspice, 1/4 Ground Nutmeg, 4 Tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar, 150ml Water, 2 Tablespoons of Dark Brown Sugar and 2 Tablespoons Blackcurrant Jam ( a friend of mine swears by a dash of Ribena instead of this but I’ve yet to try it). Add the Onions and mix everything up seasoning well with Salt and Pepper.Cover and put into a medium oven for about an hour and a half stirring every 30 minutes or so.
 
I thought I’d put Brussel Sprouts in the bags this week because in most houses they’re only ever cooked on Christmas day when they are usually overcooked ,because nobody knows what to do with them, then neglected on the plate and finally thrown in the bin. It’s a shame because they are actually very nice if you know what to do with them and my gratin with Bacon(organic more than ever of course!) , Parmesan and Cream will prove it. We ate it last night with lamb and lots of other good things and everyone reckoned it was the highlight of the meal. 
 
Brussel Sprouts Gratin with Bacon and Parmesan (for 2)
Prepare your Sprouts by peeling back the discoloured outer leaves and making a cross at the base with a sharp knife (nobody knows why you have to do this but you do). Bring them to the boil and cook for about 5 minutes until soft with a hint of bite (i.e. not the pulp you might be familiar with). Drain and allow  to cool down a bit while you chop up 3 streaky Rashers and sauté in a pan. When the Sprouts have cooled halve them and in an ovenproof dish combine them with the Bacon and 2 Tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Season well with Salt and Pepper then add 150 ml double cream. Mix everything allowing the cream to coat all the Sprouts and then top with another 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan and a light sprinkling of breadcrumbs. Bake in a hottish oven (Gas mark 6) for about 24 minutes until golden brown.
Vegetarians can leave out the Bacon and it still tastes great.
 
If you want to eat this on Christmas days (and you will)  prepare everything up to the oven stage the day before or on  the morning and then stick it in the oven 25 minutes  before you carve.
 
If you want to keep it simple on the day things to try would be steaming your sprouts  then tossing them on the pan with ……….
sautéed Onions and Butter
flaked Almonds
toasted Hazelnuts
Chestnuts
Sesame seeds, Sesame oil and a little Tamari or Soy sauce
 
 
Have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year.
 
Sarah

Red Cabbage

Hi everyone,
 
This week our selections all have a Red Cabbage which, like all Cabbage, is packed with Iron, Calcium, Potassium and fibre and is high in Vitamins C, B1, B2. B3 and D. Like most veggies it is of course at its most nutritious if you eat it raw so I’ve always tended to use it in salads where it works really well with Carrots, all kinds of nuts, Avocado, Goat’s Cheese, Feta Cheese, Onion, Asian Flavours etc etc.

Recently though, I’ve start cooking with it and find it works really well in soups and stirfries. As the weather’s turned so nippy my first recipe this week is for a kind of Lentil soup/stew that is perfect for this kind of weather. It’s really simple to make and it’s a great way to get kids to eat loads of vegetables. As Lentils are so nutritious (they also lower cholesterol I found out recently) this dish is a meal in itself especially if you eat it with some brown rice.This recipe will give you enough for about 4 or 5 servings. Leftovers will freeze well or make a very quick lunch the next day with bread and cheese.

I should say that the list of ingredients is not at all prescriptive but a guide – feel free to add any root veg you have lying around as well as Celery, Peppers and Tomatoes. If you add spuds don’t add them until after the first half hour of cooking as they will fall apart and go to mush. Courgettes don’t really work as they just disintegrate and Aubergines need too much precooking which just slows down the cooking.

Puy Lentil Vegetable Soup

You’ll need:

Olive Oil

3 Medium Onions

3 Medium Carrots

200gr Mushroom (about what you have in your bag this week)

1/2 head Garlic

1 Tablespoon fresh Thyme or 1 Teaspoon dried (don’t worry too much if you don’t have this)

A couple of Bay Leaves

1 Red Cabbage

1 tin Chopped Tomatoes

250gr Puy Lentils (or any other kind you have)

2L Vegetable Stock (as usual I use Marigold)

As time is almost always of the essence for me these days rather than preparing all the veg before I start I chop and add the ingredients to the pot as I go. So, begin by chopping your Onions and saute over a low to medium heat in a generous amount of Olive Oil (ie enough to stop you having to stir things constantly). As the Onions get going dice your Carrots and then throw them in followed by the Mushrooms (roughly chopped). Add some Salt, the Thyme and Bay Leaves and turn up the heat slightly to allow the veg to fry rather than sweat for a few minutes. Roughly chop your Garlic and throw it in turning down the heat slightly. Shred the Cabbage and throw that in too. Cook for a few more minutes then add the Tomatoes. Rinse the Lentils and throw them in then add the stock.

Allow things to come to the boil then turn down the heat and cover. Cook for about 50 minutes stirring occasionally.

To serve drizzle a little Sherry Vinegar on top or sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Another recent discovery for Red Cabbage has been stirfried with rice which you can serve with fish, tofu or dahl. Either way the red Cabbage looks gorgeous. As I mentioned above I tend to cook rice at the beginning of the week so I’ve always got something to take the panic out of cooking midweek. I prefer shortgrain Brown Rice which you’ll find in the healthfood shop (the Hopsack in Rathmines is my fav) as it’s way more nutritious than white and has a delicious nutty flavour

Stir-fried Red Cabbage with Ginger and toasted Pumpkin seeds(for 2)

You’ll need:

Enough brown rice for 2 people

2 Medium Onions

1/2 Red Cabbage

4-5 Cloves Garlic roughly chopped

A piece of Ginger about the size of your thumb peeled and minced

Fresh or dried Chilli (optional)

A handful of Pumpkin Seeds

Begin by chopping the Onions and shredding your Cabbage. Heat some vegetable oil on the pan and throw on the Onions and toss them over a medium to high heat for a few minutes. Add the Cabbage and continue to toss everything. Turn down the heat a bit and add the Garlic and Ginger along with a little Chilli of you fancy some heat. Continue cooking until the Cabbage has wilted and reduced in size and the Garlic has softened.

Add the rice and continue cooking until it has warmed through then turn off the heat. Toast the Pumpkin seeds on a dry pan over a medium heat until they have started to pop and change colour. Mix them through the rice along with a dash of Soy sauce or Tamari and serve.

Hope you enjoy these recipes,

Have a spooky weekend,

Sarah