cabbage with juniper and cream

Nigel Slater: my cookery writer of the month! I have been reading and watching him every other day this month, if not more often. I recorded his Simple Suppers shows on BBC and have been watching them when Ant is not otherwise using the TV. I got one of his books for my birthday (The 30-Minute Cook) and have also got Tender: v. 1: A Cook and His Vegetable Patch from the library. I have been reading that other food bloggers seem enthralled with him at the moment, too. And with good reason. His dishes are easy and fresh. And his writing is honest and quirky.

The first recipe I have tried from Tender was chosen to use the lovely crinkly, green cabbage that came in our veg box last week. I bought some juniper berries for this dish, and in the recipe below I have reduced the amount of pepper to let the juniper shine through a little more.

Winter cabbage, juniper, and cream
serves 2 as a side dish
adapted from Tender by Nigel Slater

half a cabbage
1 onion, chipped
a little butter
1/2 t pappercorns
1 t juniper berries
100 ml single cream

Chop the cabbage into finger-wide strips. Cook briefly in a pan of boiling water and drain.
Saute the onions in butter.
Crush the peppercorns and juniper berries together. Add to the onions and let cook for a minute or two.
Add the cream. Let it bubble for a few minutes to thicken a bit.
Add the cabbage and toss lightly.