Coda Alla Vaccinara

I love meat that needs cooking for hours until it falls apart. Cheek, shin and brisket for example all go really well in the slow cooker. Five minutes work at the beginning of the day and then in the evening you have a rich, delicious meal. Think Boeuf Bourgignon, pulled pork or lamb shanks in a rich tomato sauce.Most of the tougher meats are also the cheaper ones, which is ridiculous really. There's so much more flavour in the meat that's been well worked than in the lazy bits and I'm especially a fan of oxtail. Oxtail soup was very popular in England, but seeing as how I don't live in 1943, I never make it.This recipe is based on the Roman oxtail stew 'coda alla vaccinara' and while I also don't live in Ancient Rome, some dishes are timeless. Usually, raisins or candied fruit are added to give a sweet and sour taste to the dish, but I've left that out as I'm not a fan. I was tempted to serve it with some large prawns for the sweetness, I've been known to pair the two before. However, I've just kept this one simple and will serve the prawns on their own, charred with chilli, garlic, parsley and some good olive oil.This makes a great  sauce for pappardelle but works just as well on it's own and definitely tastes better the next day. It's also a great way to use up loads of celery. Is there anyone out there who actually has managed to get through a whole head of the stuff before it starts to limpen?If you don't have a slow cooker, just put it on the lowest possible heat and check it every now and then to make sure it's not burning. A good stir never hurt anyone. I would recommend getting one though, they're great, especially in the winter months when you need those cosier, richer meals to get you through the dark evenings. They also make a pretty good ersatz sous vide machine if you're that way inclined.Ingredients4 chunks of oxtail1 head of celery, chopped2 bay leaves1 medium stick of cinnmonA sprig of rosemarySome thymeA pinch of dried oregano1 tin of chopped tomatoesA tinful of beef stock or just water2 tbsp tomato pureeA glass of red wine thrown in if you fancySalt and plenty of pepper to season

Rib Tickler

As Phil Collins once said in Genesis, "He took one of his ribs, and from the rib he made a woman."Now I'm not as talented as Phil, so I took a rib rack from the butcher's, covered it in spices and cooked it for four hours on a low heat. I could have put some potatoes in too, but I thought there was no jacket required.And at the end, I hadn't made a woman, just a delicious manly supper. Bee was out with the 'Rock Mums' for the evening, so while this portion could have been for two, I ate the whole lot in one messy session. I didn't leave a rib spare.To stay on the healthy side, with one hour's cooking left I put in a tray of vegetables to soften and caramelise. Bright rainbow chard, patty pan squash, red onions (one of my favourite roasted things), garlic and a load of tarragon, olive oil, salt and pepper.Ingredients1 rack of pork ribsLove rub seasoning2 bunches of rainbow chard6 patty pan squash. Failing that, use baby courgettes1 bulb of garlic, halved2 red onions, quarteredA few tarragon sprigsOlive oilSalt and pepper to seasonMethodTo cook the ribs, heat the oven to 140c. Get your friend Linda Schindler to send you a jar of California's finest 'love rub', rub it all over the ribs, stick them in a tray with an inch of water and roast away.You can make your own rub if Linda has run out, from sugar, salt, pepper, mustard, garlic, oregano, smoked paprika, cinnamon and cumin.  About three tablespoons of each, apart from the cinnamon. Hold back on that a bit.Rub that all over then pour on some olive oil and give it a good juicy massage.Put all the veg in a roasting tray, season and drizzle over olive oil and the tarragon. After the ribs have been in for three hours put the veg in the oven. One hour later, it's all ready.Serve with chilli sauce and paper towels and eat in private.

You've Pulled

There'd probably be a punch up about who first baked bread and covered it with toppings. Probably, as with everything it was invented in ancient Egypt. Or China. Or Greece. I bet it wasn't Italy and certainly not Hawaii. It doesn't really matter though, it's a great idea. A hoi sin and duck covered pizza, as I once saw advertised, is not. What kind of psychopath comes up with these things?It's hard to beat the crisp crust and soft dough of a traditional Italian pizza and it's near impossible to recreate at home. Flatbreads, however, are much simpler and delicious in their own right. They take hardly any time to make either. And this recipe, once you've got the lamb in the oven pretty much takes care of itself. If you want, you can leave the lamb cooking overnight on a very low heat, but if like us, you have an oven that sounds quite similar to Concorde taking off, you may want to cook it during the day.Get everything prepped first thing, though, and it's just a case of assembly. There may seem to bea lot of ingredients, but there's nothing unusual here. It's all great the next day too, apart from the bread, that should be cooked as freshly as possible.IngredientsFor the lamb1/2 lamb shoulder4tbsp harissa2tbsp ground cumin1 red onion, puréed2 cloves of garlic, puréed2tbsp olive oilSalt and pepper to seasonFor the tabouleh50g buckwheat, cooked200g parsley, finely chopped3tbsp olive oilSmall bunch of chopped mintJuice and zest of a lemon6 cherry tomatoes1tbsp sumacA handful of pomegranate seedssalt and pepperFor the bread280g white bread flour20g semolina200ml water7g sachet of yeastA large pinch of saltMethodMix together the lamb coating ingredients in a large dish. Stab the lamb all over a few times just to be sure then massage in the rub. Cook in a low oven for about six to eight hours. Remove and leave to cool. You wont be able to resist picking at it. This is almost the best part, pulling the meat away, licking your fingers and secretly stuffing your face in the kitchen. When cool, you can shred it with your hands or a couple of forks. Put all the meat in a large bowl and set aside.While the lamb is cooking, make the bread and tabouleh.Mix together all the tabouleh ingredients and taste to check the seasoning and balance. Adjust as you see fit.Mixt the bread ingredients together, adding the water a little at a time as you mix it in. Knead for about five minutes, cover and leave to rise for half an hour.Divide into six balls and roll out flat into circles about 3mm thick.Heat a frying pan (I prefer cast iron for this, but don't worry too much) until really hot andcook the bread one at a time until it puffs up and turns golden in parts. You can then flip it and put it directly on the flame to finish if you have gas. Can't do that on an induction can you, eh?Wrap the breads in a towel and leave until ready.Serve the breads topped with the tabouleh and shredded lamb with a spoonful or two of tahini and natural youghurt.

Chicken Kebab

I have no idea why it's so hard to buy a single pepper in the supermarket sometimes. I wanted a red one but they only had multicoloured multipacks. Maybe it's the only way to get rid of the orange and yellow ones. No one gets left behind.I only really use red and green ones (a chilli is not a chilli without green pepper), so I thought I'd push the boat out, go crazy and wild and use orange ones with this recipe. And they worked nicely. I didn't have to hold my nose as I ate. They added just a little sweetness against the herbs and cut through with the onion.We had these with as a quick supper with tomato and cucumber salad, some asparagus and a couple of pitta breads.Ingredients for four skewers2 chicken breasts, cubed1 orange pepper, cut into chunks1 large red onion, cut into chunks1 large sprig of rosemary, leaves only, chopped1 large sprig of young thymeSalt and PepperA pinch of chilli flakesOlive oilMethodMix all the ingredients in a large bowl and leave to marinate for about an hour if you can.Thread alternate chicken, pepper and onion on the skewers and then pour over any remaining oil from the bowl.Grill for about five minutes each side until nicely charred. Be careful to not overcook them.Serve with flatbreads and salads

Who You Calling Chicken?

 When buying a few quick supper things for the children the other day (I don't always have time to cook, you know), the ingredients on the chicken Kievs had so many things a lab technician would struggle to recognise, I resolved to make a batch of my own for the freezer.There is no wheat or gluten in this recipe for those of you who are avoiding it, and I think wholegrain rice is better for you than breadcrumbs anyway. As is the coconut flour.Make the garlic butter ahead and you can freeze it to use as you need. It's best to stuff the chicken with frozen butter anyway, your hands don't become slipperier than a politician and it melts nice and slowly when you're cooking the chicken.I often serve the Kievs with green salad and some sweet potato fries.Ingredients2 skinless free-range chicken breasts100g unsalted butter2 cloves of garlic2 tbsp chopped curly parsley, because it's more fun that flatleaf50g wholegrain puffed rice cereal, blitzed to crumbs. Kallo do a good one.Coconut flour to coat the chicken1 beaten eggSalt and pepperMethodChop the garlic finely with the parsley and mix into the butter then roll into a cylinder in some greaseproof paper, wrap in clingfilm then freeze for at least half an hour.Heat the oven to 180c.Stick a knife lengthwise through the chicken breast to the middle then stuff with a large piece of garlic butter.Season the chicken and roll it through the coconut flour until well coated.Dip the chicken breast in beaten egg then cover in the rice crumbs until fully coated.Cook in the oven on a baking tray for about 30-35 minutes until golden and cooked through. 

On the Case

Tomorrow the children go back to school after six years off for Easter. I think we're all looking forward to it. It has been good having them around, though, and we've had some fun in the kitchen. Notably making these sausages.Normally, you'd put breadcrumbs in British-style sausages, that's one of the reasons they're not as dense as the meatier Italian ones, or, my favourite, merguez, which I shall be making soon. So to make these wheat-free, I used milled flax seed instead, which helped  bind the mixture as well as give a little extra texture.They're quick to make and you can buy the casings from your butcher or online. Making them yourself means there are no additives in them, and you can vary the spicing and herbs as you like, as well as the thickness and length. We got 18 large ones out of this, so quite a few went in the freezer.You can ask your butcher to mince the meat for you if you don't have a mincer at home, and you will need a sausage maker, you can also get these cheaply online. You can, however, skip the casings and roll them by hand into sausage shapes if you want. I'd highly recommend a machine though, not least for the opportunity to add a touch of 'Carry-On' to the kitchen. It's not possible to put the casing on the nozzle without thinking about GCSE biology with Mr. Johnson.Experiment with garlic, herb and red wine or mixed spices. Leek and apple perhaps, and paprika and onion. We'll not be buying sausages any more.Ingredients800g pork mince or pork shoulder800g pork belly1tbsp ground ginger1tbsp ground five-spice1tbsp ground nutmeg1tbsp dried oregano1tbsp dried tarragon1tbsp dried thyme2tbsp flax seedPepperLoads of salt150ml cold water2m hog casing sausage skinMethodMince the meat and mix in the rest of the ingredients.Fry a little of the mixture to test the seasoning and adjust as needed.Try not to snigger as you roll the casing on to the nozzle.Turn the machine on and slowly feed the mixture through until it starts to fill the casing. Gradually let it fill until you reach the desired size then twist to seal and carry on. Twist the opposite way on the next one and repeat until finished.You can cook them straight away, (I tend to grill them) but it's better to let them dry a little, uncovered, in the fridge for a day.Wrap well and freeze what you don't need immediately.

Raising the steaks

Sometimes on the weekend I can spend the afternoon in the kitchen, prepping lots of ingredients and dishes, enjoying the calm of a Saturday or Sunday.Tonight, however, we have many episodes of Trapped to watch so it's a quick steak, grilled and blowtorched with some roast spiced carrots, early season British asparagus and this classic Argentinian accompaniment.It's really just a herb oil, but the chilli and garlic (not the Chilean garlic) give the steak a real lift. And it only takes a couple of minutes to make. Fewer if you use a food processor. It's also really good with monkfish or lobster.

Roast chicken with mashed potato, creamy leeks, fennel seed and peas

I think it far better to buy a whole good chicken and roast it all than buy expensive packaged bits. At the very least you can make a really good chicken stock, let alone all the other dishes you can get from one bird. Try making three meals from two chicken breasts. Good luck.Chicken soup is one of my top five dishes and if I don’t have the time one week to make stock, I just freeze the roasted bones for later. We used this as the base for Ramen last week.This dish is so tasty and its simplicity is really rewarding. Slowly coking the leeks in butter makes them melting and rich, really comforting with the mash.Ingredients2kg whole chicken stuffed with onion, lemon and rosemary or tarragon. Season well1 large leek, slicedA handful of petits pois1tbsp fennel seeds2tbsp butter and a dash of olive oil2 large baking potatoesMethodRoast the chicken until the juices run clear and leave to rest, covered, for about 20 minutes.While roasting, chop and boil the potatoes until soft, drain and leave to steam dry.Slowly cook the leeks in a large sauté pan with the butter, oil and fennel seeds, Season well with salt. Cover with a circle of parchment and leave on a low heat for about half an hour, stirring occasionally. Add the peas and cook for a few minutes. Add a couple of tablespoons of cream and check the seasoning.To make the perfect mashed potato, heat some cream, butter and milk in the pan the potatoes were cooked in. About 350ml in this case. Season well and add the potatoes. I leave the skins on for cooking and mashing for a better flavour, but feel free to peel them if you prefer. Mash them well and keep warm. If you want a really smooth mash, put them through a ricer before adding to the liquid.Carve the chicken, I always go for the leg and thigh, and serve on top of the mash and leeks. Pour over some of the roasting juices, add a sprinkle of parsley and serve with wholegrain mustard.

Delicious beef kofte skewers with yogurt, cumin and mint dip

 A good kebab is a great thing. It’s almost the ultimate in balanced meals with the meat, salad, vegetables and carbohydrates. It can either soak up a night’s excesses or remind you of long summer lunches in Greece or Turkey, surrounded by the chargrills and their mouthwatering aromas.Cooking over coals or wood gives the meat such tenderness and depth of flavour and certainly appeals to my inner Neanderthal.The best way to cook this, then, is over flames. However, if it’s the height of the English summer and you have to cook inside, grill them on the highest heat possible and that should do.Prep: 25-30 mins (15-20 if using minced meat)Serves: 4Ingredients300g rib-eye steak300g osso bucco1 tsp white peppercorns1tbsp cumin seeds1tbsp coriander seeds1 tsp dried mint½ tsp smoked paprika1 tsp za’atar1 tsp chilli powder1 tbsp puréed garlic1 tbsp puréed ginger½ red onion, finely dicedA handful of breadcrumbs1 eggA squeeze of lemon juiceMethodSlice the meat as finely as you can, or if you haven’t the time, get your butcher to mince it for you. The texture won't be as good, but the end result will still be delicious.Squeeze out the bone marrow from the osso bucco and add with the sliced meat to a large mixing bowl.Toast the peppercorns, cumin and coriander in a dry frying pan until they start to release their aroma, then transfer to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar and process to a fine powder.Add the ground spices along with the rest of the ingredients to the meat, season well and mix thoroughly until everything is incorporated without it becoming to slushy.Shape the mixture into sausage shapes around metal skewers and grill on a high heat, turning occasionally, for five to ten minutes, depending on how thick you have made them.Tonight, I’m serving these with a carrot, cumin and dried mint yoghurt and a simple salad.Feel free to add flatbreads, but as I’m currently going low carb in a bid to look 20 again, not for me this time…

Meatballs with spiced tomato sauce and courgette 'spaghetti'

I love meatballs more than almost anything in the world. It's hard to beat a bowl of them served with spaghetti, but for this version I thought I'd make a healthier dish (with lower carbs) by substituting spaghetti for ribbons of courgette.This dish works really well - in fact, these are the best meatballs I've made - and we'll certainly be having it again soon.Makes more meatballs than you need for 2, or freeze the remainder once cooked.For the meatballs:1 pack of beef mince1 egg1 small jar of 'Sofrito' (or make your own by sweating a chopped carrot with chopped celery, chopped onion and salt)Large handful of dried breadcrumbs2 sprigs of chopped rosemarySeason well, mix well, form into balls and refrigerate for 30 mins.Fry in batches and set aside.For the sauce:Sauté an onion with some garlic in olive oil and as many hot chillies as you fancy. (I used four). Season, then add a tin of tomatoes and some oregano. Add a pinch of sugar and simmer for 20 mins or until thickened.Add the meatballs and heat through.For the courgette:Thinly slice the courgette lengthwise into spaghetti strips. Blanch for 20 secs in boiling water, then briefly sauté in chopped garlic.Season well and serve with meatballs and sauce, sprinkled with parmesan to taste.

A French lunch sourced in Crystal Palace

I really love eating like the French. Good cheese, bread, cold meats, salad and wine combine to make a perfect lunch.Making the most of the sunny morning, Noah, Maya and I went to visit the new weekly Crystal Palace food market today. It was great to see lots of stalls and lots of locals and I filled my bag with baguettes, eggs and a super hot chilli sauce from Mad Ass called Dare Ya.We eventually made it to Good Taste Food and Drink, where I bought some meltingly soft triple crème cheese – including one of my all-time favourites, Chaource – wafer-thin slices of cured ham, thin sticks of saucisson and some Fentiman’s Shandy.It was a lovely way to start the weekend and, once home, I put it all together with a tomato salad, which we ate dreaming of French summers and two-hour lunches. Our two-year-old even decided he liked the Chaource.I'm looking forward to next week’s market. I hope it goes from strength to strength and attracts even more stalls with interesting products.

Rabbit terrine with asparagus, pancetta and peas

This dish is so pretty, but essentially my rabbit terrine is a big slab of meat, freshened by the addition of peas and asparagus. Served with a pickled salad and a few truffle shavings, it made a delicious lunch on a recent shoot.  Serves:             6-8 peoplePrep time:       15 minutes Cooking time: 90 minutesIngredients1 rabbit, skinned and cleaned. Reserve the kidneys and liver150g pork belly, meat and fat separated500ml warm vegetable stock2 sheets of gelatine8 asparagus spears, blanched20 slices of pancetta200g of petit pois1 tbsp saltPepper to seasonMethod

1. Heat the oven to 150°C.
2. Mince the rabbit and pork belly meat, and finely slice the fat (or get your butcher to do it for you). Add the rabbit, pork, fat, salt, and a good twist of pepper to a bowl and mix well.
3. Soften the gelatine in a little water for ten minutes, then drain and squeeze out, then set aside.
4. Line a terrine dish with the pancetta, hanging the edges over, so that you can fold them back and cover the top.
5. Spoon a layer of the rabbit and pork into the bottom and spread well. Cover with a layer of peas. Add another layer of rabbit and pork mix. Add a layer of asparagus. Cover with the remaining meat.
6. Pour in the gelatine and stock, then press down. Fold over the pancetta. Place the terrine in a baking tray half-filled with hot water and cook for one and a half hours.
7. Remove from the oven, take the lid off and weight down with a piece of cardboard and some tin cans, then leave it in the fridge overnight.
8. Remove from the fridge half an hour before serving, turn upside down onto a board and slice. Serve with a pickled salad.

Slow roast, spiced, crackled pork sandwiches

I cannot resist sharing this recipe. It's a dish based on my love of American food, which was stoked by many early mornings watching Man v. Food to keep myself awake as I cuddled my newborn son.Although the challenges were sometimes a bit grotesque in the programme, the places, ingredients, regional differences and cooking techniques have stuck in my mind.For this recipe, I don't have a smoker big enough to fit brisket in. Nor can I slow-cook a whole pig for 24 hours over hickory chips, much as I’d like to. So I've taken the best bits of my Geordie granny's 'pork with crackling' recipe, spiced it up a little and mixed it with some of my hazy Man v. Food memories – and made myself a very delicious sandwich. It's not something you can quickly knock up, but get everything ready the day before and you will have a week's worth of joy and a lifetime's worth of requests for your famous pork sandwich.Serves:                6Prep time:          20 minutes, plus overnight in the fridgeCooking time:    180 minutesIngredients1.5kg pork belly2 star anise1 5cm piece of cassia bark, or cinnamon1 tsp cloves1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns1 tbsp fennel seeds1 onion1 leek2 carrotsSaltMethod

1. Lightly toast the spices in a dry sauté pan and grind to a powder with a pinch of salt.
2. Score the skin of the pork and pour boiling water all over it. This will help dry it out.
3. Pat dry with kitchen towel and rub in the spice mix, then leave uncovered in the fridge overnight.
4. Heat the oven to 220°C.
5. Chop the onion, leek and carrots. Put them in a roasting tray, then put a rack over them and the pork on that.
6. Cook for 25 minutes, then turn the heat down to 130°C and cook for a further two and a half hours. Check the skin is crisp. If not, turn up the heat to 220°C and cook for a further 10-15 minutes.
7. Leave the pork to rest a while, then tear apart and serve in bread with spring onion, lettuce, mustard and smoky chilli sauce.

A search for the perfect chilli con carne

I would love to go to Texas for the barbecues and the chilli. I want to eat 24-hour smoked brisket and tender ribs with the meat falling off them. What I’d really like to try is the way the long, slow cooking over smoke makes everything pink, juicy and uniquely charred in a way that you’ll never be able to recreate in the home kitchen.Until recently, I'd only ever eaten insipid chilli, with perhaps a touch of cumin or chilli powder to tell you that it wasn't a bolognese. So when I was asked to make it for my Dad’s 60^th birthday, I was determined to find a recipe that would make me rethink it.I researched its history and how it is made in the chilli heartland of Texas, and finally came up with this version, which I think is truly delicious and has totally transformed my view of the dish.Serves:                      6 peopleCooking time:         3 hours Ingredients500g beef skirt or brisket, thinly sliced2 racks of pork ribs2 large onions, finely chopped4 cloves of garlic, crushed4 jalapeño chillies6 tbsp brown sugar2 bottles of lager200ml apple juice250ml tomato ketchupCider vinegarDijon mustard2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce1 tbsp Paprika1 tbsp chilli powder1 tbsp ground cumin1 tbsp Cayenne pepper1 Chipotle pepper1 Ancho chilli1 large green pepper, sliced1 tin red kidney beansFresh coriander leaves to garnishMethod

1. Make the barbecue sauce by heating some minced onion, two cloves of crushed garlic, ketchup, two tablespoons of brown sugar, the mustard, vinegar and apple juice. Pour in the Worcestershire sauce,  leave to simmer for a couple of minutes, then set aside.
2. Heat some oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan and sauté the onion and garlic until soft. Add the meat and season well. Cook for a few minutes and add the chillies and spices. Stir and add the pork ribs and cook until browned.
3. Add the green pepper, pour in the lager and barbecue sauce, stir well, bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a very low simmer and cook for about two and a half hours. Add the kidney beans, cook for a further half hour and serve garnished with coriander.

Roast lamb with garlic, baby aubergines and anya potatoes

Lamb – whether spiced and charred in the tandoor, coated with a herb crust and roasted, or simply sliced thinly and served in a sandwich with mustard, parsley and cucumber yoghurt – is a great meat for any time of year. This recipe, which pairs lamb with aubergine, is great for a roast lunch.Serves:                         4 peoplePreparation time:     15 minutesCooking time:            40 minutes, plus restingIngredients 2 racks of lamb, French-trimmed with scored fat8 baby aubergines, cut in half lengthwise1 bulb of fresh garlic (use aged if not available)4 cloves of aged garlic400g Anya potatoes, thinly sliced4 turnips, trimmed and quartered1 sprig of rosemary3 tbsp capers3 tbsp chopped parsleySplash of VermouthOlive oilSalt and pepper to seasonMethodHeat the oven to 200°C and put the potatoes, turnips, garlic cloves, rosemary and aubergine in a roasting tray. Liberally shake around with olive oil, salt and pepper and put in the oven for 15 minutes.

1. Meanwhile, heat a heavy pan and sear the lamb until the fat is golden and the meat is lightly browned. Season a little and place on top of the vegetables in the oven. Turn the heat down to 120°C and cook for around 20 minutes.
2. Remove from the oven, take out the veg and lamb and leave to rest somewhere warm. Deglaze the roasting tray with the Vermouth and strain the juices into a jug.
3. Dress the aubergine with parsley and capers and serve everything together. You can carve the lamb first if you prefer, but I think it looks great whole to carve at the table.

How to food style itAs well as tasting great, food needs to look good on the plate. Here are some tips to make yours sing:

1. Serve it on a rustic board or square plate, preferably of a dark colour to create a contrast with the meat and garlic.
2. Make your lamb look appetising and golden brown by ensuring you score and sear the meat. The French-trimmed white bones are also essential for making the meat the visual and appetising. Ensure they are wrapped in foil during the roasting.
3. Finally, don’t overdo it – spread the ingredients out delicately, so that you can see each piece of food clearly. Put any extra vegetables in a bowl to the side.

Beautiful bubble and squeak

In our house, it’s pretty rare for there to be any crackling left over from a roast pork – or, come to think of it, much pork. But when that does happen, I like making this version of bubble and squeak for brunch the next day. This deserves to be a dish in its own right, so it is even worth making it from scratch.Serves:                4Cooking time:   20 minsIngredientsUse whatever leftovers you have from the roast, or failing that:Shredded slow roast gammon and shattered crackling10 roast potatoes, lightly crushed with a fork½ a Savoy cabbage, finely sliced and blanched in salted water3 spring onions, shredded1 red onion, finely sliced1 tbsp Olive oil and tbsp butter to fry (or use the gammon dripping)3 dill cucumber picklesSalt and pepper to seasonMethod

1. Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl and season well.
2. Heat a frying pan and add the oil and butter until hot.
3. Throw in the cabbage and potatoes, cook well, adding the red and spring onion at the last minute.
4. Serve on warm plates with shredded cooked ham, crackling and sliced pickles, with a touch of wholegrain mustard.

How to food style it

1. With this one, the cabbage forms a great base to structure the flakes of meat, potatoes and onions on. Try to give it form and height.
2. Laying shards of crackling and slivers of spring onion on top helps give it elegance and leads your eye across the whole dish, bringing everything together.
3. A spoon of mustard and some sliced pickles finish it off, keeping it elegant while still remaining rustic. It is, after all, a dish of leftovers.