Riverford Farm Cook Book: Tales from the Fields, Recipes from the Kitchen

/

teaspoons caraway seeds

200ml water or stock

1 teaspoon cornflour

150ml soured cream

Remove and discard the outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut off the rest of the leaves from the core and blanch them in a large pan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Drain well, refresh in cold water, then drain again. Set aside the 12 largest leaves and chop up the remaining cabbage. Spread half the sauerkraut over the base of an ovenproof dish and cover with the chopped cabbage.

Mix the beef, pork, rice, egg, salt and pepper together in a bowl. Fry the bacon in a saucepan until just beginning to brown, then remove with a slotted spoon. Add 1 onion and the garlic to the pan and cook them in the bacon fat for 5 minutes over a medium heat. Mix the onion and bacon with the meat and rice mixture.

Spread out the 12 reserved cabbage leaves on a board and divide the meat mixture between them. Fold in the sides of each leaf and then roll it up around the filling. Place the cabbage rolls on top of the sauerkraut mixture.

Put the paprika, cayenne, tomatoes, caraway seeds, water or stock and the remaining onion in a pan and bring to the boil. Add the remaining sauerkraut and then pour the mixture over the cabbage rolls. Cover the dish, place in an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 and bake for 1 hour.

Mix the cornflour and soured cream together. Pour the mixture over the cabbage rolls and bake for 10 more minutes.

Braised Red Cabbage (#ulink_e024c6e8-9532-5e30-865d-8e29b6bcf9e2)

We regularly cook this basic recipe in the Field Kitchen, where we like to serve it with roast pork and game. Raw grated beetroot can be added, along with a little orange juice and honey, and cooked for a further 15 minutes.

Serves 6

1 red cabbage, finely shredded

2 dessert apples, peeled, cored and chopped

1 onion, chopped

50g butter

1

/

tablespoons dark soft brown sugar

1

/

tablespoons balsamic vinegar

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put all the ingredients in a large, heavy-based pan and place over a high heat, stirring until well combined. When the mixture is simmering, turn the heat down low, cover the pan and leave the cabbage to cook in its own juices for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more sugar or vinegar if required.

Warm Red Cabbage Salad with Toasted Walnuts and Blue Cheese (#ulink_56b1ed14-f675-52cc-a547-a2848327688c)

This is based on a salad in The Greens Cookbook by Deborah Madison and Edward Espe Brown (Bantam Books, 1987). They used goat’s cheese but we changed it slightly to work with our autumn menu.

Serves 8

75g walnut pieces

2 tablespoons walnut oil

2 crisp red apples

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2

/

tablespoons olive oil

1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced

1 small red cabbage, shredded

100g blue cheese, crumbled (we use Devon Blue)

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 teaspoon chopped marjoram

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toss the walnuts with the walnut oil and some black pepper. Spread them out on a baking tray and toast in an oven preheated to 180°C/Gas Mark 4 for 5–7 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave to cool.

Core the apples and cut into small pieces. Put the garlic, balsamic vinegar and olive oil in a frying pan and sauté over a medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the red onion and cook for 30 seconds, then add the cabbage and cook for a couple of minutes, until it begins to turn from red to pink. Season with salt and pepper. Finally add the cheese, apples, herbs and toasted walnuts. Toss well and serve.

Red Cabbage and Beetroot Confit (#ulink_45b29b66-0bc2-5bef-a532-e9c42a50ec15)

This dish is designed to go with roast duck. It comes from Bill Gunn, who owns Bistro Tatau in Apia, the capital of Samoa. Jane worked there for a while, helping to develop dishes in a country used to taro, lamb flaps and turkey tails. So if you are ever lucky enough to be in Apia, pop in.

Serves 4

1 tablespoon butter

1 large red onion, finely sliced

100ml red wine vinegar