In recent years there has been much talk about minimising food waste, buying and cooking with “wonky” vegetables and fruits, using “forgotten” cuts, etc. There is much wisdom in it, and most cultures have some form of ancient practices of making use of different ingredients available at the time.
I don’t profess of such wisdom except needs must really. Often there are a few ingredients sitting in the fridge that were originally bought for a recipe but I didn’t get to cook that particular dish, and so one by one they appeared in dishes that were like a surprise appearance rather than a scheduled appointment.
The case in point was a sweetheart cabbage. Cabbages belong to the brassicas family, this includes broccoli, cauliflower, kale and so on. Out of these varieties, I enjoy the flavours and texture of the sweetheart cabbage the most. It is very good in stir fries, as it retains the crunchy texture and imparts a sweetness without any sulphuric element, unless many other types of cabbages. A favourite of mine is a simple stir fry with garlic and fish sauce (or vegan friendly variety). I also like charring then steam cook them in a little chicken stock, a little butter and a small spoonful of miso. For a main course I like using it in a pasta dish and that’s exactly what I did ast week, on a scorching Sunday.
4 large leaves sweetheart cabbage
50g samphire
1 garlic clove
1/4 teaspoon chilli flakes (or more according to taste)
1 level teaspoon fennel seeds
1 lemon
3 good quality butcher sausages
Black pepper and salt
10g garlic & herb butter (optional)
250g dried rigatoni pasta
Extra virgin olive oil
- Prepare the ingredients. For the cabbage, roll up the leaves like a cigar and finely slice them into ribbons. Rinse and drain the samphires, pick and discard any woody stems. Peel and finely chop the garlic clove. Remove the casing of the sausages and break up the meat into bitesize pieces. Coarsely grind the fennel seeds.
- Cook the pasta in boiling salted water, according to the packet, to al dente.
- Meanwhile, in a saute pan on medium heat, add the olive oil and pan fry the sausage bites to golden brown all over. When they are cooked through, add the chopped garlic, fennel seeds and chilli flakes. Stir through and keep on very low heat so the garlic doesn’t burn.
- When the pasta is almost done, add the shredded cabbage and samphire for about 2 minutes. After that switch off the heat and hold back a cup of pasta water.
- Lift the pasta and cabbage to the sausage mixture, stir well. Add a ladleful of pasta if the dish appears dry. Season with a good grind of black pepper, and if you have some garlic butter, add a small knob but if not drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil. Grate over some lemon zest and serve. I don’t think salt will be needed in the sauce but that’s a personal opinion!
For those who don’t eat pork, chicken sausages or a tin of sardines or tuna or for the vegetarian, a tin of chickpeas could be a good substitute. I would suggest adjusting the seasoning a little more, perhaps add some lemon juice at the end of the cooking and adding some capers for more piquancy.
It is untypical to serve pasta or risotto alongside a salad, however if you happen to have some strong tasting leaves, such as rocket, spinch or chicory, a simple dressing using the lemon juice and olive oil, seasoned with salt and pepper, and maybe a few pieces of a very finely sliced red onion is a good accompaniment.
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