Re Vivienne Cox:"And no Brussels sprouts or any of that awful cabbage family."I know exactly what you mean, but trust me, it really doesn't have to be like that. A food scientist would know better than me how to explain it, but when heated for more than a few minutes, plants from the Brassica family give off a sulphate, which accounts for the unpleasant taste, smell and noxious after effects - think School Dinners.But it's all in the cooking, so try this (my own creation).1. Take a fresh spring cabbage (should be firm and feel "heavy")2. Remove the core and any tatty outer leaves, also any tough white pieces of stem near the base (for texture reasons). Chop the leaves into bite-sized pieces.3. Steam in boiling, lightly salted water for NO MORE THAN 5 MINUTES until tender but still with a bit of bite - if it's soggy, you've overdone it. (I use one of those butterfly steamers in a lidded saucepan, by the way).4. Drain the water into the sink, then return the cabbage into the warm saucepan. Spoon in a dollop or two of good Caesar dressing and mix (I use Cardini's, but not the low fat version). You want to just coat the cabbage, not turn it into soup, so not too much dressing. If you want some more umami taste, stir in some finely grated parmesan cheese to melt into the mixture et voila!A twist of freshly ground black pepper if you like and that's it - easy, quick, cheap, nutritious and delicious.(If you've not got any Caesar dressing, you could always substitute butter, btw)
Richard Cathcart ● 2379d