Last night’s recipe was mainly inspired by having some cabbage that needed cooking… and was fit for a king. First I got some mashed potato underway and then sliced some bacon into thin strips and some cabbage leaves, main ribs removed, into thicker ones. I got my cast iron saucepan heated up and, once the potato had boiled to the point of being soft, I added a mix of vegetable and sesame oil and started the bacon frying. By the time I had drained and mashed the potato with butter, salt and pepper, the bacon was cooked and I added the cabbage, turning it to coat everything in the bacon-enriched oil while leaving the mash with the lid on the pan to keep warm.

At that point I remembered Jane also wanted a poached egg so I boiled some water with a pinch of salt and dash of my slightly vinegary cider and, once bubbles were forming, added a couple of eggs. I plated the mash, gave the cabbage and bacon another turn and put that on the plate as well. By the time that was ready, the egg was ready to lift out with a slotted spoon and position on top.

The result was delicious, with a blend of textures and flavours from the soft, peppery mash to the nutty taste of the fried cabbage. Gourmet!