Ingredients

• 30 shallots
• peeled
• 150g/5oz butter
• 3 tbsp caster sugar
• 200ml/7fl oz red wine
• 125ml/4fl oz port
• crème de cassis
• 600ml/1 pint beef stock
• 1 fresh bay leaf
• 1 lemon
• zest only
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 leeks
• washed
• sliced
• 1.25kg /2lb 12oz potatoes
• peeled
• boiled
• mashed and left to cool
• 750g/1lb 10oz spring cabbage
• finely shredded
• blanched (or leftover cooked cabbage or Brussels sprouts)
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

• For the candied shallots
• simmer the shallots gently for 4-5 minutes in a pan of boiling water to soften. Drain.
• Heat the butter in a non-reactive frying pan
• add the shallots and fry gently until golden-brown
• about 3-4 minutes.
• Add the sugar and stir until it melts and begins to caramelise and coat the shallots.
• Mix the wine
• port
• cassis and stock together in a bowl. Add a quarter of the wine mixture to the pan with the shallots and bring to a boil
• then add the bay leaf and lemon zest. Reduce the heat until the mixture is simmering
• then continue to simmer until the liquid has reduced to a glaze.
• Add some more of the wine mixture to the pan and simmer again until the liquid has reduced to a glaze. Add the remaining liquid bit by bit
• reducing each time
• until the shallots are coated in the glaze. Set aside until needed.
• For the bubble and squeak
• heat half of the olive oil in a frying pan and cook the leeks for 3-4 minutes
• or until softened but not coloured.
• Mix the leeks
• mashed potato and cabbage together in a bowl. Season
• to taste
• with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
• Heat the remaining olive oil in the frying pan. Place four 7.5cm/3in chefs' rings into the pan and spoon the bubble and squeak into the rings
• packing down gently. Cook until golden-brown on the bottom
• turn the rings over carefully and cook on the other side. Remove from the pan and keep warm until ready to serve
• carefully removing the chefs’ rings before serving.