Braised Red Cabbage with Honey & Pears

1. Halve and quarter the cabbage. Slice out the woody core. Peel off and discard any ragged outer leaves, then finely slice the cabbage. Pop into a colander and rinse well.

2. Peel the pears. Quarter them and slice out the cores. Finely chop the pears.

3. Add about a third of the cabbage to a large casserole dish or heavy-based pan. Top with half the pears and season with salt and pepper. Top with another third of the cabbage, then the rest of the pears. Drop in the cinnamon stick and star anise. Season with salt and pepper, then cover with the last of the cabbage.

4. Mix the honey and balsamic vinegar together in a bowl till they’re smoothly combined. Add 2 tbsp cold water and mix again. Pour over the cabbage. Pop on a lid, bring to the boil then turn the heat down to very low. Gently cook for 1 hr till the cabbage is soft. Stir occasionally. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if needed.

5. Love Your Leftovers
Leftover cooked red cabbage will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in a sealed tub. You can turn it into a hearty pasta dinner. Warm a little olive oil in a frying pan and sizzle some chopped mushrooms till crisp. Add handfuls of leftover red cabbage and fry, stirring, for a few mins till golden. Toss with cooked pasta and crumble over a little goat's cheese to serve.