Layered Savoy cabbage ‘lasagne’

SERVES 4

1 Savoy cabbage

3 tbsp olive or sunflower oil 1 large onion, peeled and diced 2 celery sticks, finely diced 1 large carrot, roughly grated 250g (9oz) mushrooms,

roughly chopped

200g (7oz) leftover cooked or blanched (for 10 minutes) brown rice

100g (3½oz) cooked chestnuts,

chopped

1 tin of chopped tomatoes 2 garlic cloves, sliced Maldon Salt black pepper

To make the savoy cabbage leaves pliable, put them into a steamer. I use a bamboo one, but you can always use a large metal colander and a lid. Separate, then steam the leaves for about 15 minutes or until soft. I tend not to cut out the stalky bit as it softens enough by the end of cooking and is pleasant to eat.

For the filling, heat the oil in a large, cast- iron pan and add the onions and a big pinch of Maldon Salt. Cook for about 10 minutes over a medium- low heat, stirring often. You can add little splashes of water and deglaze the pan, if at any point it feels dry.

Add the carrots and celery and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook for about 7 minutes. Finally, stir through the chestnuts and the rice and scoop it out into a bowl. No need to clean the pan, just start layering it with the leaves.

Build the first layer of Savoy cabbage leaves, then scoop in one-third of the filling, then layer some more leaves over. Follow with the fillings again, then leaves, then filling, then leaves.

Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. For the tomato stock, pour the chopped tomatoes into the same bowl where the filling was. Squash them further with a potato masher. Swirl some water through the tomato tin and pour into the bowl with the tomatoes. If you want, you can also whisk in 2 tbsp creme fraiche into the mixture. Add the garlic and a generous pinch of salt and some pepper.

Pour the mixture over the cabbage lasagne, making sure that none of the garlic is on top (where it can burn). Pop the pan in the oven and cook for about 45 minutes – 1 hour. The tomato liquid will be reduced, and the top of the lasagne will be nicely charred. Serve and enjoy with a big hunk of crusty, fresh bread.

Put the sunflower seeds into a dry frying pan and toast until golden. Do the same with the sesame seeds and then the cashew nuts and almonds. Put the nuts into a bowl.

Heat the oil in the pan and add the garlic and the ginger, cooking over a medium- low heat until lightly golden and aromatic. Add this, including the oil, into the nuts, add the tamarind and maple syrup and stir through properly. Preheat the oven to 160°C/Gas Mark 2½.

Line a baking sheet with non-stick baking parchment or foil and spread out the nut and seed mixture. Sprinkle over the salt and cook for about 8-10 minutes. You are looking to dry everything out without letting the garlic to burn.

Remember that it may feel sticky, but it will dry out once left out of the oven. Keep in an air-tight container for up to a week. Use on everything or as a snack.