Wilted cabbage salad with bacon and cashel blue cheese

Ingredients

3 slices white bread, cut into 1cm/½in cubes
90g/6 tbsp duck or goose fat
200g/7oz streaky bacon, cut into 5cm/2in pieces
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 savoy cabbage, thick ribs removed and leaves sliced
½ head of radicchio, thinly sliced
200g/7oz cashel of other blue cheese, crumbled
radicchio

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2. To make the croutons, toss the bread cubes in 2 tablespoons of melted duck or goose fat and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, tossing and turning frequently until they are golden brown and crusty.
3. To make the dressing, sauté the bacon pieces in 2 tablespoons of duck or goose fat in a large frying-pan over moderate heat until the bacon is beginning to crisp nicely. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, add the garlic and let it fry gently for 1 minute.
4. Remove from the heat and carefully add the wine vinegar. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any carameliaed juices. Taste the hot dressing for salt and add some freshly ground black pepper.
5. To wilt the cabbage, heat a very large frying-pan with the remaining duck or goose fat over a moderate heat. Add the cabbage all at once. Cook, stirring for about 1-2 minutes until the cabbage has wilted. Tip into a large bowl.
6. To serve, combine the radicchio, bacon, cheese and croutons with the warm cabbage and toss with the dressing of red wine and juices.
7. Spoon some of the mixture into a 10cm/4in biscuit cutter or cooking ring and press down slightly until the cabbage mixture forms a neat shape.
8. Carefully remove the ring. Repeat with all the cabbage rings on warmed plates. Serve at once.