Last Sunday we had a big family meal at the Methuen Arms in Corsham, and it was hands down the best roast dinner I’ve had in….well….a very long time! All of the food was lovely, but the dish that really stood out was – of all things – the cabbage! They’d somehow managed to create cabbage that was meltingly tender, really full flavoured and savoury (without even a whisper of the dreaded sulphurous tang of overcooked cabbage) and deep deep green. It had hints of garlic, and had obviously been tossed in butter before it was served….. Even the Renaissance Man liked it!

Ever since, I’ve been trying to work out how they got the cabbage so tender without overcooking. Here is my first attempt….

Lots of Spring greens

Steamed until they just started to lose their greenness and I was worried about overcooking

Then bathed in butter with a little bit of sizzled garlic and a pinch of salt

Verdict? Close but no cigar. Not as tender as the ones from the Methuen arms, and a much lighter green. I think they must have used a different kind of cabbage – my research continues!