Cabbage is one of the most underrated vegetables. It's Low Carb, super nutritious, generally available year round, keeps in the fridge for weeks and weeks, and if cooked properly it's super delicious. I love it raw shaved into salads or 'slaw.

But it's even better when cooked down into a soft pile that's sort of like a big bowl of fettuccine. Waistline-friendly comfort food at it's best!

If you want to make this even easier, buy pre-shredded cabbage. And don't skip the vinegar! It really freshens everything up and makes the cabbage flavours come alive (in a good way). Ditto the salt and oil.

enough for: 2
takes: 30 minutes
1 onion halved and finely sliced
1/2 med cabbage (500g / 1lb), finely sliced
4 thick sausages
1 tablespoon sherry or wine vinegar
mustard, mayo (or both!), to serve

1. Preheat your oven to 250C (480F). Halve and slice onion. Place in a roasting pan with the sausages. Drizzle with olive oil.

2. Roast for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, slice cabbage as finely as you can be bothered but don't worry about cracking out the mandoline (the finer you slice the quicker it will cook).

3. Turn the sausages. Add cabbage, salt and another drizzle of oil. Roast for another 10-15 minutes or until cabbage is soft and sausages are well browned and cooked through.

4. Sprinkle over vinegar. Toss, taste and season with more salt as needed. Serve mustard / mayo on the side.

Variations

vegetarian - skip the sausages and serve cabbage and onion with poached eggs, lashings of shaved parmesan or crumbled feta or a few handfuls of roast nuts (almonds or pinenuts would be my pick).

different meat - feel free to use chorizo, chicken thighs fillets or pork chops instead of the sausages.

different veg - replace cabbage with halved brussels sprouts, cauliflower florettes, broccoli florettes, diced eggplant, diced zucchini, capsicum (bell peppers) or chunks of sweet potato, butternut squash, parsnip or spuds. If using root veg expect the cooking time to be more like 30 minutes or longer.

herby - add some thyme or rosemary with the onion. Or toss in some flat leaf parsley once the cabbage is cooked.

extra cabbage hit! - serve with a side of simple sauerkraut.

carb lovers / more substantial - serve with spaghetti or warm flat bread.

Waste Avoidance Strategy

onion - will keep in the pantry for months. Best if in a dark corner in a brown paper bag.

cabbage – will keep in a plastic bag in the fridge for weeks, even months. Can be frozen but will have a wilted texture once defrosted.

sausages - freeze them.

sherry or wine vinegar - keep them in the pantry.

mustard / mayo – unopened in pantry or in fridge once opened.