PICKLED RED CABBAGE

Red Cabbage was always Hotpot’s traditional accompaniment, pickled in malt vinegar and left acidic in flavour. Nigel, however, has brought together all the modern influences of Lancashire today, by incorporating flavours from the Asian community and local importers of spices and exotica from overseas. This Red Cabbage was a hidden secret, with fabulous flavours of cinnamon, star anise and chillies, making it an incredible and exotic combination to a traditional dish. Nigel is now happy to reveal the secret and allow you all to enjoy this fabulous combination.

To complete the Hotpot dining experience, Nigel suggests Glazed Baby Carrots and Oyster Fritters as an exotic accompaniment. Oysters were an ingredient in some Hotpot recipes, when they were cheap and plentiful in bygone days, now offered purely as an optional extravagance but if you enjoy an oyster, it just gives a sense of style and surprise.

Ingredients: (Should be made at least a day in advance)

1 Head of Red Cabbage (400-450g)
2 Star Anise
400 ml Red wine
275 ml Malt vinegar
140 ml White wine vinegar
140 ml Balsamic vinegar
5 Bay leaves
10 Whole cloves
1 tsp Whole black peppercorns
1 tsp Whole pink peppercorns
1 stick Cinnamon snapped in half
5 Whole dried red Chillies
300 g Caster sugar
55 g Coarse Sea Salt for salting the cabbage

Method:

1. Half and quarter the red cabbage.
2. De-vein away the large stem and finely slice the red cabbage leaves. (alternatively put through a
   food processor).
3. Salt the red cabbage well in a colander for 2 hours until a deep rich colour is achieved.
4. Drain and wash all the salt away thoroughly - pat dry.
5. Place all the vinegars, wine and sugar in a suitable pan and reduce by half.
6. Place all the dry ingredients in a pestle and mortar and coarsely pound.
7. When the reduction is near completion place all the dry spices into the reduction and allow to infuse for 5 minutes. Pass the reduction through a fine sieve and while hot pour onto the red cabbage in a suitable jar.
8. Allow to cool, leave the red cabbage out overnight. Refrigerate.