BLUSHING PICKLED EGGS RED CABBAGE, CLOVES & STAR ANISE

Brilliant eggs are one of the very few foods that are high in the micronutrient iodine, which our thyroid gland needs for making the hormones that help to control our metabolism

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% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

This is a slightly bonkers one, I admit, but I love it (my wife would hate it). Making delicious pickled eggs and cabbage is fun, and, most importantly, they can be enjoyed in many ways. First up, one blushing egg makes a great, quick protein-boost snack of just 85 calories, but you could also use the eggs and cabbage to pimp up a picnic, antipasti board or ploughman’s lunch, a salad niçoise or even a steaming bowl of ramen. This recipe is for 6 eggs, but you can easily double up the ingredients if you want to make a bigger batch.

Step 2

Gently lower the eggs into a large pan of boiling salted water (a pinch of salt helps to prevent them from bursting). Cook for 10 minutes to hard boil, then place under cold running water. Once cool enough to handle, peel and rinse.

Step 3

In a large dry casserole pan on a medium heat, toast the star anise, cloves and mustard seeds until smelling amazing, then add the bay leaves and 250ml of boiling water. Simmer for 3 minutes, then stir in the honey, vinegar and 2 heaped teaspoons of sea salt and remove from the heat. Finely shred the red cabbage, then stir it into the pickling liquor and leave for 10 minutes, to let it shrink a little and allow the juices to start exchanging.

Step 4

Get yourself a 1-litre jar and randomly layer up the cabbage and eggs. Pour in any excess pickling liquor to fill the jar and cover the eggs, then pop the lid on and keep in the fridge until you’re ready to tuck in. The eggs are at their most delicious after a week, but perfectly tasty after just 24 hours too. They’ll keep happily for 2 weeks, and any leftover liquor is good in salad dressings.