Bacon & Cabbage with Parsley Sauce

Ingredients

Tick each one off as you go.

For the bacon & cabbage

• 2 ¾ lb (1200 g) loin of bacon (boiling bacon)
• 1 onion, halved
• 2 bay leaves & 6 peppercorns
• 1 savoy cabbage, cored & thickly sliced
• ⅓ stick (40 g) butter, plus extra to finish

For the parsley sauce

• ¼ stick (30 g) butter
• ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 ¼ cups (300 ml) bacon cooking liquid
• ¾ cup (200 ml) milk
• Large handful parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Blanch the bacon. Cover with cold water, bring to the boil, and pour the water away — it takes the excess salt with it. Cover again with fresh cold water.
2. Simmer. Add the onion, bay and peppercorns. Bring to a bare simmer, cover, and cook about 1 hour 20 minutes (25 min per 500 g + 25). Skim occasionally.
3. Rest. Lift the bacon out, cover loosely with foil and rest. Keep the liquid.
4. Cook the cabbage. Simmer the cabbage in the bacon water 4–6 minutes until just tender. Drain and toss with butter and plenty of black pepper.
5. Parsley sauce. Melt the butter, stir in the flour, cook 1 minute. Whisk in the strained bacon liquid and milk gradually until smooth; simmer 3–4 minutes, then stir in the parsley. Season with pepper only — the liquor brings the salt.
6. Serve. Carve thickly. Cabbage alongside, floury potatoes, and a generous pour of sauce over everything.