This dish can be served as an accompaniment to meat, poultry or fish. For those on a plant-based diet, simply substitute the crème fraiche and serve with brown rice, or top the mixture on rye bread.
Butter beans are a source of plant protein and iron, which is often lacking in a vegan diet. Cabbage is rich in vitamin C which helps with the uptake of iron from plant-based foods.
Ingredients
Serves 2
Ingredients
- 1 large pointed/york cabbage
- 1½ tbsp olive oil
- 1 leek, washed, trimmed and thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 x 400g tin butter beans, rinsed and drained
- 150ml veg stock
- 3 tbsp half-fat crème fraîche
Method
- Remove the outer leaves from the cabbage and slice them thinly. Set aside then cut the remaining cabbage into 4 wedges.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Heat the oil in a large heavy-based frying pan or shallow casserole dish and add the thinly sliced outer leaves of the cabbage and the sliced leek. Cook over a low heat for 8-10 minutes until softened, then add the crushed garlic and fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute.
- Add the butterbeans, veg stock and creme fraiche and stir to combine. In a separate frying pan, heat the butter until starting to brown, add the cabbage wedges and cook until charred on each side. Add more butter to the pan if you need to and use tongs to turn the cabbage until charred on each side.
- Place the cabbage wedges on top of the creamy butterbeans and cover with a lid. Place into the oven for 15-20 minutes to cook the cabbage wedges through, then season with salt and pepper. Serve with some chopped parsley and lemon zest sprinkled over the top.
