Pork fillet on braised red cabbage
Braising cabbage does take some time but it's the sort of dish, once you've assembled it, you can happily leave it to do its thing. Perfect for the first chill of autumn.

2 whole pork tenderloin fillets, about 700g-800g / 1 ½lb-1 ¾lb
1 large or 2 small red cabbages
1 large onion
2 small apples
50g /2 oz butter
1 tbsp maple syrup (or you can use golden syrup or brown sugar)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and ground black pepper
1 tbsp oil


Quarter the cabbage, cut out the hard core and shred the leaves. Rinse in a colander. Halve and slice the onion and peel, core and slice the apples.

Heat the butter in a large saucepan or ovenproof casserole and fry the onion for about five minutes, until it begins to soften. Add the cabbage, apples, syrup or sugar, vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Stir, then cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over a very low heat for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a little water if it seems dry. Don't let it catch on the bottom. Alternatively, you can place in a 150C / 300F/ Gas 2 oven. The cabbage should be soft and 'stewy'.

About half an hour before the cabbage is done, heat a large frying pan, add a little oil and quickly brown the pork fillets on all sides. Transfer to the pan or casserole with the cabbage, cover and cook another 20-25 minutes. The pork should be done but not overcooked which will make it tough. Remove from the cabbage and let rest for 10 minutes while you spread the cabbage on a large serving plate. Slice the pork into medallions and arrange on top of the cabbage, pouring any meat juices back on to the dish.

Apple and blackberry Charlotte with brioche
Another classic with a delicious twist. The blackberries mix with the apples to turn the filling a luscious lavender colour. You will need approximately 1.5 to 2 litre pie dish or shallow baking dish.

6 cooking apples
4-6 tbsp sugar, or to taste
250g / 9 oz blackberries
100g / 3 ¾ oz softened butter
one loaf of brioche


Peel, core and roughly chop the apples and place in a saucepan with three to four tablespoons of water. Set over a low heat and cook for 10-15 minutes until the apples are soft but not completely collapsed. Add some of the sugar and taste for sweetness, adding more if needed then add the blackberries, stir gently and remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 190C/ 375F/ Gas 5. Slice the brioche and butter on one side. Line the bottom and sides of the pie dish with the slices, butter side down, cutting shapes to fit the dish. (You should have some slices left over after lining the dish.) Spoon in the apple and blackberry mixture. Cut the rest of the brioche slices into triangles and lay them, buttered side up and overlapping on the top. Sprinkle with a little more sugar and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and crisp on top.

Serving tip: Stir a tablespoon or two of cràme de cassis into some lightly whisked double cream for a lavender cream to spoon along side.