Cavolo Nero, Roast Onion & White bean sauce, Crispy beans.

Cavolo Nero in marmite glaze, Roast Onion & White bean sauce, Crispy beans.

Serves 2

· 280g white onions

· 2 cloves of garlic

· 1 tin of cannellini or butter beans

· Salt

· Pepper

· Thyme and Rosemary (optional)

· 6 leaves of cavolo nero (enough for 2 people)

· Marmite

· Balsamic Vinegar

· Garlic powder

· Chill flakes (optional)

· Lemon zest (optional)

· Oil

Method

For the sauce:

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C

2. Wash the onions and cut in half around the circumference (the ‘equator’). Keep the skins on.

3. In an oven-proof frying pan, heat a good glug of vegetable oil or olive oil for cooking.

4. Add the onions cut side down into the warm oil (careful with the heat, they will ‘spit’ slightly at first).

5. Leave to cook for around 5 minutes, to get some colour on the onions.

6. Add 2 cloves of garlic (unpeeled) and a few sprigs of thyme and rosemary (if you have them). Put the pan in the oven- keep the onions skins side down. Sprinkle the tops with salt and black pepper. Alternatively, fry the onions in a pan and transfer to an oven proof dish with the oil.

7. Cook for 30 minutes (this will depend on the size of the onions) until very soft.

8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely.

9. Once cool remove the soft onions from the papery skins. Squeeze the garlic from its peel too.

10. Add the onions & garlic a blender with ½ tin of white beans and puree. Add salt and pepper to taste. Milk, water or butter can be added to help blend the sauce.

11. The sauce can be used cold or reheated later. The sauce can also be passed through a sieve to make it smoother.

For the crispy beans

1. Drain the remaining beans ( ½ tin). Dry well in a clean tea towel or kitchen towel.

2. Mix in 1tsp garlic powder, salt & pepper, ½ tsp of chilli flakes (optional). Drizzle with oil.

3. Fry in a large frying pan, stirring occasionally, until the beans have crisped up and browned.

4. Add the zest of 1 lemon towards the end of cooking.

For the cavolo nero

1. Wash the leaves well and cook in half horizontally.

2. Bring a large pan of water to the boil. Add the cavolo nero and cook for around 1 minute until the toughest part (the bottom of the stem) is soft.

3. Cool quickly in ice water or under a cold tap. Drain and squeeze out any excess water.

4. For the glaze: in a large frying pan, heat 100ml of cold water and around 30ml of balsamic vinegar until it bubbles.

5. Add 1tbs of marmite and stir in until its dissolves.

6. Keep cooking the liquid, whilst stirring, so the water evaporates, and the sauce becomes thick and sticky.

7. Taste- it might need more marmite or vinegar. The vinegar is just to help counteract the saltiness of the marmite, so it doesn’t need too much.

8. When the sauce is ready, add the cooked cavolo nero. Spoon the sauce over the leaves until they are coated (and hot).

Serve the warm cavolo nero with the white beans sauce (hot or cold) and top with crispy beans.