Braised Cavolo Nero with Chickpeas

Cavolo nero with its curly, dark green, almost black leaves is used in many Italian dishes and now more widely available in the UK. Even the suppliers of our organic box grow it. If you can't get hold of it Savoy cabbage is a good alternative. If you don't like the taste of white cabbage (like myself) you may be pleasantly surprised as neither cavolo nero nor Savoy cabbage taste very cabbagy at all.


olive oil
cavolo nero, roughly chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, sliced
freshly ground black pepper
sea salt
1 440ml tin of organic chickpeas (no salt or sugar added), drained and rinsed
dry white wine (or water, if preferred)
juice of one lemon

1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and add the cavolo nero. Place the garlic and chickpeas on top and and sauté for just a minute.

2. Then add a couple of tablespoons of wine, pepper and salt and cover.

3. Turn regularly to ensure the cavolo nero cooks evenly adding more wine or water if it threatens to stick.

4. When the cabbage is tender, transfer to a serving dish and optionally drizzle with a little more olive oil before adding the lemon juice. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.