Supremely versatile, savoy cabbage is the ideal winter green
You can stuff a savoy, but life is too short. That's the type of dish restaurants are for. I favour simplicity at home - and, of all winter greens, savoy comes up trumps every time, whether stir-fried, doused in butter or folded into an earthy soup. Other things to do with a savoy? Bacon is one of the best accompaniments. Or how about a rich stew, with a trotter or two, for succulence and body, and lots of winter roots? It goes with white beans, too, plus more roots and perhaps some chicken legs, or turned into a gratin with sausages and a thick roux. Some recipes advocate adding cheese, I'm more inclined to sprinkle Parmesan on afterwards.Recipes serve four
BRAISED LAMB WITH SAVOY AND CHORIZO
1 large savoy
1 kg stewing lamb, cut into 4cm pieces
olive oil
2 onions, peeled and cut into half-moon slices
150g cooking chorizo, sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
bunch parsley, finely chopped
600ml chicken stock
glass fino sherry or white wine
Cut the cabbage into eight, slicing through the core so each segment retains its shape. Blanch in boiling water for five minutes; drain; refresh under cold water. Brown the lamb in four tablespoons of olive oil, remove and season with salt and pepper. Add the onions and chorizo to the pan and gently saute for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft.
Return the cabbage to the pan, gently squeezing out as much of the water as you can, and toss gently, to mix. Add the garlic and parsley; toss well. Add the lamb, season well, then add the stock and sherry. Bring gently to the boil and cover, first with foil and then with a lid.
Transfer to a low oven, at 170 degrees/gas three, for an hour and a quarter, or until the meat is cooked. Remove the lamb and cabbage and keep warm. Reduce the liquid by half, check seasoning and serve.
CABBAGE, DUCK AND SAUSAGE HOTPOT
2 onions, peeled and sliced
3 leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
6 slices streaky bacon, roughly chopped
4 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves
400ml chicken stock
8 small potatoes
4 small turnips
1 small savoy, cut into eight through the core, so each segment holds together
4 carrots
4 thick Italian-style sausages
sprig of thyme
2 400g tin haricot beans, well rinsed and drained
2 cooked duck legs (available from the delicatessen section of good supermarkets), meat removed and shredded
4 slices country bread, toasted and rubbed with garlic
Lightly colour the onions, leeks and bacon in the olive oil for five minutes. Add the garlic and cook for a further two minutes. Add the chicken stock, potatoes, turnips, cabbage and carrots and bring to the boil. Season with salt and pepper. Slip in the sausages and thyme, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the beans; cook for 20 more minutes, adding water if needed. Add the duck, check seasoning, then cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Serve with the freshly toasted bread. harnold@irish-times.ie