Meat mains
Sausages and smashed celeriac with spiced red cabbage, beetroot and apple
If any dish points out the slide into autumn then it has to be this one. Red cabbage needn't always be cooked for long periods to get the best from it. The beetroot stays only partly cooked for a bit more texture and, along with the apple, helps to provide a natural sweetness.
Cook's notes
The real trick in this meal is cooking the celeriac. Start it on a high heat and use minimal liquid as it will release its own while cooking. You want the celeriac to be cooked through and starting to soften at the edges. As you turn them they will break up a little, but you are most definitely not after a mash or purée.
Ingredients
- 1 celeriac
- ½ small red cabbage
- 1 beetroot
- oil for frying, e,g, sunflower or light olive
- 2 tbsp cider vinegar
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 4 pork and herb sausages
- 25g butter
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 apple
- salt and pepper
Method
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Step 1
Peel the celeriac and cut into 1 and a half cm cubes. Remove the solid part of the central core from the cabbage with a simple V-shaped cut. Shred the cabbage as finely as you can, widthways.
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Step 2
Preheat oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Peel the beetroot and coarsely grate it, using gloves to avoid purple hands if you want. Put the cabbage in a large saucepan with 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, half of the cinnamon stick (break it before use), star anise, allspice, bay and sugar.
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Step 3
Season with a little salt and pepper and cook over a gentle heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, put the sausages onto the baking tray and coat with a little oil. Bake for 25 minutes, until browned. While the cabbage and sausages cook, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the other large saucepan.
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Step 4
Get it very hot, so that it is shimmering and nearly starting to smoke. Add the celeriac, being careful not to splash yourself as the oil will hiss and spit for a few secs. Keep it moving so doesn't catch or burn.
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Step 5
After 2 minutes add 50ml of water, a knob of butter, the remaining tablespoons of vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Pop on the lid. Keep checking every 5 minutes and add a dash more water if it looks like it may be catching.
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Step 6
You want it to cook through so the edges become soft and the middle retains a toothsome bite, about 20 minutes. Remove the lid for the last 5 minutes to evaporate any excess liquid. While the celeriac cooks, strip the leaves from a rosemary stalk and chop them finely.
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Step 7
Wash the apple and coarsely grate it, discarding the core. Add the beetroot and apple to the cabbage and cook it for a further 10 minutes.
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Step 8
Season the cabbage and pick out the cinnamon, star anise and bay, if you feel the need. Add the rosemary to the celeriac for the final 5 minutes of cooking and season to your tastes. Serve the sausages on the smashed celeriac with a side of sweet spiced cabbage.
