Seasonal local food recipe No 75: Red cabbage with chestnuts and sherry
Sounds suitably festive … It’s from Nigel Slater’s Tender Vol II.
Serves 4-6 as a side dish
Preparation/cooking: about 20 minutes
Ingredients
half a good-sized red cabbage (about 750g)
a little groundnut oil
200g pancetta or bacon in the piece
150g peeled chestnuts
a glass of medium sherry
Method
Shred the cabbage finely, then rinse and drain. Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan, roughly dice the pancetta/bacon and add to the pan, letting it colour lightly. Add the chestnuts, continue cooking for a few minutes, then add the drained red cabbage. Expect it to hiss and pop. Turn the cabbage in the fat and cover with a lid. Continue cooking over a moderate heat for seven or eight minutes, until the cabbage has wilted slightly. Add the sherry, a little salt (depending on how salty the bacon is) and leave until almost evaporated. Serve immediately.
