Seasonal local food recipe No.366 – Nigel’s orzo, black cabbage and smoked cheese

I made this simple dish, one of Nigel Slater’s midweek dinners for The Guardian, for tea on Friday using the cavolo nero from our veg box.  He says it makes a “toothsome treat with dark earthy tones”.

Serves 2-3

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients
200g orzo or other small pasta
100g cavalo nero
250ml double cream
100g smoked cheddar, grated
25g Parmesan cheese, grated

Method
Cook the orzo as directed on the packet, then drain through a sieve.  Run cold water through the pasta and set aside.

Trim the cavalo nero and cut into 8cm lengths, add it to a pan of boiling water, cook for 4 minutes, then drain and plunge into cold water.

Wipe the pan then pour in the cream, add the grated smoked cheddar, season with black pepper then bring to the boil.  Remove from the heat immediately.  Fold the orzo and drained cavalo nero into the cream and cheese then tip into a shallow baking dish and sprinkle the grated Parmesan over the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes in a preheated oven at 180°C/Gas mark 6 until the top is golden brown.