Roast pork belly with Alsacienne cabbage

Serves 4

Slice the pork belly or leave it as a chunk, spoon the cabbage on to warmed plates and lay the pork on top (JASON LOWE)

I often see white cabbages in my friends' fridges slowly going mouldy because they bought the cabbage to make coleslaw and weren't sure what to do with the rest of it. It makes a great accompaniment for pork, veal or poultry.

A piece of pork belly weighing about 1-1.2kg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the cabbage

1 large onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2tsp cumin seeds
100g butter
250-300g white cabbage, very finely shredded
2tbsp white wine or cider vinegar
150ml chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2tbsp double cream (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180C/gas mark 5. Place the pork belly in a roasting tray with the skin-side down and pour in about a centimetre of water. Place on a medium heat on the stove top and simmer for about 4-5 minutes, then remove the pork from the tray and pour the water away. This helps to crisp up the rind. Season the pork belly, return to the dry roasting tray and roast for about 1 hours, basting every so often. The skin should be crisp; if not, just increase the temperature of the oven or finish under a medium grill.

While the pork is cooking, make the cabbage. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and gently cook the onion and cumin seeds for 3-4 minutes with a lid on, stirring every so often. Add the cabbage and continue cooking with a lid on and stirring every so often for another 4-5 minutes. Add the vinegar and chicken stock, season and continue cooking for about another 10 minutes without a lid until the liquid has evaporated and the cabbage is tender. You can add the double cream at this stage if you wish and just continue cooking for a couple of minutes. To serve, slice the pork belly or leave it as a chunk, spoon the cabbage on to warmed plates or a serving dish and lay the pork on top.