"Bold as Brassicas"

We have a few people coming in later apparently so if you don't mind I'll start with a few generalities. So, good afternoon everyone, ty for coming, I'm sure you will not be disappointed.

This is technically a SkyBeam Cooks event, Charlene and I have been trying to get a cookery interest group going at SkyBeam for a while now. : I have a particular interest in sponsoring these events because I write and sell recipes here at Cooks' Mill.

Everything we do here has been tried at our kitchen at home and all our recipes set out to be sensible and practical.............. I am not Heston Blumenthal!

Azure Blackadder:
Charlene Trudeau:
Charlene Trudeau:
Tizzy Canucci:
Charlene Trudeau:
Elisabeth Beurling:

ty Tizzy

Take an outer leaf, a good clean one with no frayed caterpillar nibbles, run a potato peeler down the thick stalk to take the woody part away. Wilt it in hot water for a few moments and then you can stuff it with mince and rice, before wrapping it and steaming it.

Ok, now here's its posher cousin - Savoy Cabbage. Stronger in flavour with distinctive textured leaves this is ideal for a traditional Ulster dish called Colcannon.

Very simple,steam or boil your cabbage until just tender - : ....anyone know why we might want to boil rather than steam?

Anyone like to salt their vegetables?

salt is not evil - it's much easier to salt when boiling.

Ok, however we prefer, cook the cabbage then fold it through mashed potato with plenty of butter, salt and pepper and serve hot with a roast, with pork, corned beef, whatever.

ty Neill!

Curly Kale. Very popular in Ulster and used for Colcannon. It has a stronger, more "irony" flavour but can be hard to obtain. Sadly, supermarkets insist on selling it ready chopped so all the goodness leaks out and you have to spend hours ripping out all the tough little bits of stem but if you can get it whole it is a really interesting alternative green vegetable.

Colcannon is also the basis for other useful snacks.

Anyone ever have left over vegetables from a roast dinner?

squark
:-))
lol

Makes good coleslaw, but you can also cook it with carrots, shredded and sweated with a little butter and grated carrots, it is ready in five minutes and makes a colourful side dish.

Now, here's it's ruddy cousin, Red Cabbage. Sweat it like white cabbage but with a few slices of apple, but beware.....Anyone here live in a hard water area? Anyone remember school chemistry?

all of which have their place, and no doubt favourite recipes. All I hoped to do tonight was to start you thinking about the humble cabbage, maybe tickle a few tastebuds, and give you some ideas.

All of tonight's recipes are in the cabbages, which are of course free!