Pork belly, noodle and cabbage soup

This is a really tasty and spicy soup but you can make it less spicy if you like. Make sure you cook the pork belly for long enough on a low-ish heat so that it melts in the mouth.

For two people:

Roast a small piece of pork belly in advance. We did it the night before when we were cooking a roast anyway. Before you roast the pork, rub plenty of chinese 5 spice and a diced hot chilli into the flesh side. Once it's roasted (on a low/medium heat for about two hours), remove the crackling and eat it as a snack if you're greedy like us!

For the soup, fry a pack of shitake mushrooms in a little oil. After a few minutes add 3 diced spring onions and then 750ml of chicken stock. Then add a table spoon of mirin, a table spoon of light soy sauce and half a tea spoon of sugar. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes before adding some shredded savoy cabbage and the pork belly cut into slices. After another few minutes taste the soup... you may want to add a little more soy, some dried chilli flakes or a little more chinese 5 spice. Now add a packet of ready cooked noodles and continue to simmer until the noodles are warmed through.

Serve in warmed bowls with sesame oil and extra soy sauce on the side for people to add if they wish.

Roast duck breast with berry sauce and braised cabbage

Mmmmm, roast duck breast with crispy skin.

The berry sauce has the right balance of sweet and savoury and the dish is finished off nicely with braised red cabbage and sliced potatoes.

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 duck breasts

2 medium potatoes, cut into thick slices

olive oil

salt and pepper

Berry sauce:

a handful of mixed berries

1/2 glass of red wine

a good splash of creme de cassis

100ml beef or chicken stock

leaves off a sprig of thyme

a bay leaf

salt and pepper

Braised cabbage:

red cabbage

red onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1/2 glass red wine

2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon of apple sauce

1 tea spoon of sugar

knob of butter

salt and pepper

• Pre-heat the oven to 200 degrees. Lay the potato slices on a lightly oiled baking tray and season. Place in the oven for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes turn the potato slices over. If you have a wire rack that fits the baking tray, place it on top of the potatoes and place the duck breasts on top of the wire rack. If not place the duck breasts skin side up directly on top of the potatoes. Season the skin and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
• Check the duck breasts after 15 minutes as you don't want to overcook them.
• To make the sauce add all of the ingredients to a saucepan over a low heat and leave to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check the seasoning before serving.
• To make the braised cabbage; remove the outer leaves from the cabbage, cut the cabbage in half and then finely dice. Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the cabbage, red onion and garlic. Cook for at least 10 minutes until the onion has softened. Then add the red wine, red wine vinegar, sugar and apple sauce. Season and leave to simmer for at least 45 minutes. Stir often and add a splash of hot water towards the end if it starts to look too dry. (This recipe makes far too much cabbage for 2 people which is good because I like it on roast pork sandwiches the next day).

Cabbage, bacon, shallots & cream

This is our favourite cabbage dish. We could eat a bowl of it on its own quite easily but it's also perfect with a pork chop and mustard mash.

Ingredients (serves 2):

½ pointed cabbage, shredded
3 rashers of streaky bacon, diced
4 shallots, peeled and quartered
Small tub of double cream
Black pepper

1. Sauté the bacon and shallots for 5 minutes or so
2. Put the cabbage in salted boiling water for a couple of minutes, but don’t let the cabbage get too soft and soggy
3. Drain the cabbage well and add to the bacon and shallots
4. Stir in the cream to heat through and season with black pepper