Simon Rogan, the acclaimed chef behind L'Enclume and other restaurants, celebrates cabbage as one of his favourite ingredients. He highlights its versatility, nutrition, and satisfaction in cooking, having featured it on his menus for over two decades. At Our Farm in Cartmel, Cumbria, hundreds of cabbage varieties are grown for year-round use in his kitchens. The following recipes showcase generous, seasonal dishes centred around this humble vegetable.
Caramelised Cabbage with Blacksticks Blue, Bacon, Toasted Nuts and Seeds
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 50g salt
- 2 garlic cloves, skin on and bashed
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 Duncan cabbage (or other small pointed cabbage)
- 150g Blacksticks Blue cheese
- 50g panko breadcrumbs
- 150g softened butter
- 15g pumpkin seeds
- 15g sunflower seeds
- 15g linseeds
- 15g pine nuts
- 12 slices smoked streaky bacon
- 50g XO sauce (or gochujang, at a push)
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- Watercress, to finish
Method
Place the salt, smashed garlic, and bay leaf in a large pan of boiling water to create an infused brine. Cut the cabbage lengthways into quarters. Remove the pot from the heat and submerge the cabbage in the hot brine until it cools and the cabbage becomes tender. Lift out and allow to cool.
Cut off and discard the rind from the Blacksticks Blue cheese, then cut into 1cm cubes. Add the cheese and panko breadcrumbs to the softened butter and beat with a spatula until well combined and homogeneous.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas 4. Arrange all the seeds in a single layer on an oven tray and roast for about five minutes until golden brown. Remove and reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (140°C fan)/325°F/gas 3.
In a hot, dry, nonstick pan, sear the streaky bacon until crisp. Deglaze the pan with XO sauce and continue cooking until the bacon absorbs the sauce. Remove from heat.
In a second nonstick pan, heat the sunflower oil and sear the cabbage on both cut sides for about four minutes until golden. Arrange the cabbage quarters on an oven tray and spread all over with the Blacksticks Blue butter, ensuring it gets between the layers. Bake for 15 minutes, then lift the wedges onto a serving dish.
Break the crisp bacon into roughly 4cm shards and scatter over the cabbage, ensuring some gets between the layers. Sprinkle the toasted nuts and seeds on top, finish with watercress, and serve.
Old Winchester Sliders with Pickles and Aynsome Slaw
Prep time: 25 minutes
Pickle time: Overnight
Cook time: 40 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the pickled cucumbers:
- 1 shallot, peeled
- 60g apple cider vinegar
- 30g sugar
- 1½ tbsp fennel seeds
- 1 cucumber
For the Old Winchester patties:
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 75g mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- 5 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- Sunflower oil
- 50g Old Winchester cheese, coarsely grated
- 75g tinned borlotti beans (drained weight), or pinto beans, rinsed
- 50g fresh breadcrumbs
- Salt and black pepper
- ½ tbsp soy sauce, or to taste
- ½ tsp English mustard (not powder)
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tbsp cornflour
For the sliders:
- 4 brioche buns
- Sliced gem lettuce
- Sliced tomato
- Finely sliced onion
For the slaw:
- 125g hispi cabbage, finely shredded
- 125g red cabbage (preferably red kalibos), finely shredded
- 90g red onion, peeled and finely sliced
- ½ broccoli floret, trimmed and grated on large holes of a box grater
- 20g fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 10g fresh dill, roughly chopped
- 75g white sugar
- 50g flaky sea salt
For the dressing:
- 1 scotch bonnet chilli (or lemon drop chilli)
- 70g mayonnaise
- 30g apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp English mustard
- ½ tbsp ground black pepper
- 20g runny honey, warmed gently to loosen
- ½ tbsp fennel seeds, crushed
Method
Pickle the cucumbers a day ahead. Cut the shallot into 1cm dice, then place in a medium pan with the cider vinegar, sugar, fennel seeds, and 90ml water. Bring to a boil. Meanwhile, cut the cucumber into 1cm-thick slices. Remove the pan from heat, add the cucumber slices, cover, and leave at room temperature overnight.
For the slaw, mix the cabbages, onion, broccoli, parsley, and dill in a large bowl. Sprinkle with sugar and salt, toss to combine, and let steep for five minutes. Transfer to a colander and rinse well under cold running water. Spin dry in a salad spinner and return to the bowl.
For the dressing, cut the chilli in half lengthways, remove the pith and seeds, and finely chop. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, black pepper, and warm honey until homogeneous. Stir in crushed fennel seeds and chopped chilli. Add dressing to the slaw to taste, adjust seasoning, and toss.
For the patties, fry the onion, mushrooms, and thyme in a tablespoon of sunflower oil for about five minutes until soft. Remove from heat and cool. Transfer to a food processor, add cheese, beans, breadcrumbs, and pepper to taste. Pulse until well combined. Mix in soy sauce, mustard, egg, and cornflour. Season with salt to taste. Shape into four patties (7cm wide x 3cm deep) and chill until cold.
When ready to eat, fry the patties in a little sunflower oil in a hot nonstick pan for about four minutes per side until caramelised. Season with additional salt if desired.
Cut the brioche buns in half and layer with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickled cucumber. Top with a patty and the bun lid. Serve with the slaw on the side.
Simon Rogan is chef-owner of L'Enclume and Rogan & Co in Cartmel, Henrock in Windermere, and Aulis in London.
