We’ve visited 2 local pubs recently, where food disappointed us on both occasions.  Hollow Bottom used to be our favourite place to eat not so long ago, now we were told “they’ve changed everything”, so no more San Miguel on tap, for instance, but the food was the real issue. I’ve eaten braised red cabbage there 2 years ago that blew me away. This time it did too- in a bad way.  I could only taste one thing- vinegar.

And just a week ago we went for a Sunday roast to The Slaughters Inn.  More expensive place, higher expectations. As mediocre as it gets, it turned out and cabbage- sour with vinegar.  Very annoying, I can’t imagine how can someone call himself a chef, put a piece of turd like this on a plate, send it off and expect people to happily pay.

My Christmas menu is almost ready and there will be braised red cabbage on it. Today I’ve made it according to a recipe I found in Good Food, one of the old special festive editions. As it sat in the oven, two duck legs on the stove, the house filled up with fabulous smell. Great recipe, did the veg the justice it deserves;

Shredded cabbage, quite finely, plus a large red onion fried on butter till soft. In. 200 ml of port. A juice and a zest of 1 orange. Some cinnamon. 2 tbsps of brown sugar. A generous handful of chopped prunes.  To the oven, covered, for nearly 2 hours in 140 degrees. Half way through the cooking everything gets a good stir and back in for the second half.

Once it cooled a little and I had a proper taste I decided it was a treat. Buttery, quite sweet, orange comes through nicely. Saved some for the ox cheeks I’ll be making for Steve and Christina this weekend. Thumbs up.