Sometimes we overlook a basic ingredient. We try to jazz it up too much, add herbs, spices, braise it in wine, just mess around with it so much it looses its real quality.

For me cabbage is one of those vegetables that I feel we often loose our way with. Too often cabbage brings back memories of big pans cooking away in a school kitchen for hours producing a watery sloppy green mess. Pungent in smell but utterly tasteless!

For me the best cabbage is a leafy green cabbage which are especially good this time of year. I always go for a small cabbage, tight leafy veiny green leaves.

To prepare I remove the outer layer of leaves then quarter the cabbage. Using a sharp small knife I then make a diagonal cut to remove the core.

Then leaf by leaf, layer by layer I pull the leaves off, keeping them as whole as possible until I’m left with that tight little bud of leaves. This, the sweetest part goes in whole to a pan.

When all the leaves are separated I boil a kettle and pot the water over the cabbage. This then gets simmered for 5 minutes. Just a touch of salt is added to the water.

Drain, make sure all the excess water is drained off and serve. Simple, easy, and oh so very tasty.

If you really want a shot of goodness, reserve the water and wait for it to cool slightly and drink it. It is an acquired taste, but packed full of goodness!!