Bacon chop with hispi cabbage, lovage and a parsley sauce
A satisfying supper of bacon and greens with a creamy parsley sauce. Serve with mashed potatoes for comfort food heaven.
Ingredients
- 2 bacon chops
- 2 tsp finely chopped thyme leaves
- 4 juniper berries, crushed
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 75g/2½oz unsalted butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 Bramely apple, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 hispi cabbage, shredded
- 150ml/5fl oz chicken stock
- 1 bunch lovage, leaves picked, roughly chopped
- 1 lemon, juice only
- pinch freshly grated nutmeg
- freshly ground black pepper
For the parsley sauce
- 25g/1oz butter
- 25g/1oz plain flour
- 1 bay leaf
- few black peppercorns
- 500ml/18fl oz whole milk
- bunch curly parsley, finely chopped
Method
Season the chops with pepper, a teaspoon of thyme and the crushed juniper berries. Rub with oil and set aside.
Melt the butter in a sauté pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5–7 minutes or until soft. Add the apple, cabbage, remaining thyme and the chicken stock and cook for 6–8 minutes or until everything has softened. Stir through the lovage, lemon juice and grated nutmeg.
To make the parsley sauce, heat the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the bay and peppercorns and gradually add the milk, whisking all the time to avoid lumps. Cook until thickened and check the seasoning. Stir in the chopped parsley.
Heat a griddle pan and cook the chops for 5 minutes on either side, or until cooked through.
To serve, place the cooked cabbage onto a serving plate with the chop laid on the side and pour over the parsley sauce.