January King cabbage is ready to eat just after Christmas and the season lasts until the end of March. The leaves of the cabbage are tinged with an inky blue and purple stain which makes it one of our most beautiful cabbages. They can be grown in the north of England and when I see them in our local shops I always buy one. They are comparatively inexpensive costing about 80p for a good sized head. I have spiced this recipe up with a red chilli and a pinch of caraway seeds. It is cooked in locally produced rapeseed oil and topped with Dale End a strong Cheddar style cheese produced near the North York Moors.
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 500g potato e.g. King Edward or Wilja
- 1/2 small cabbage e.g. January King or Savoy
- 1 medium onion sliced
- 2-3 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 large red chilli, seeds and ribs removed and sliced
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 25g grated Dale End or any strong cheddar style cheese.
(Alternatively this dish can be made from left over cooked potato and cabbage)
Method
Scrub, peel and quarterthe potatoes. Place the potatoes in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes or until soft. Remove the cabbage stalk and roughly chop the cabbage leaves. Place the cabbage leaves in the steamer with the potatoes after the potatoes have been cooking for ten minutes. When the cabbage and the potatoes are both soft remove from the steamer, place in a bowl. Gently crush th e potatoes and add the caraway seeds.
Place a swirl of oil in a non stick frying pan and gently cook the onions for about 5 minutes or until soft. Add a little more oil to the pan followed by the potatoes and cabbage. Turn up the heat and fry the mixture until it begins to brown. Add the chilli and continue to cook until a crisp golden crust forms over the cabbage and potato mixture. Season to taste and just before serving add a sprinkling of grated cheese.
Serve bubble and squeak as it is or as an accompaniment to a fish (such as smoked haddock), chicken or meat dish. It can also be served with a poached egg.
January King Cabbage
