Cabbage braised with shallots and Pancetta

What You’ll need:

Knob of butter
8 slices pancetta roughly chopped
4 shallots finely sliced
1 cabbage core & outer leaves removed and cut into 8-10 wedges
Half pint vegetable stock (fresh or from a cube)
Salt and pepper

What to do:

1. In a large frying pan heat the butter until sizzling then cook the pancetta till brown and crisp. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and allow to drain on some kitchen paper.

2. Add the shallots to the pan and cook gently for 6-8 minutes until they are caramelised and soft, remove from the pan to the kitchen paper.

3. Arrange the cabbage wedges in the pan (add a little more butter if necessary) and cook on each side till brown and caramelised, turn them gently so they don’t break up. Pour in the vegetable stock to half way up the cabbage. Return the shallots to the pan and season to taste.

4. Cook the cabbage for 10-12 minutes gently turning half way through. The cabbage should be tender and the stock reduced, serve 2 wedges per person drizzled with the braising liquid and scattered with pancetta.

Why not try:

This recipe is delicious with roast chicken and mashed potato. It also works well with White Cabbage. Add finely shredded raw white cabbage or sweetheart cabbage to salads to add a lovely crunch.