Driving home in the sun this evening, I started to feel that spring has really sprung. Once I got in I opened the back doors and the birds were singing. The frog spawn in the pond was incubating its inky black spots and the tree blossom was being carried in the breeze. I just knew it was time to uncover the BBQ for the first time in 4 months.

Right.

…So anyway, whilst that’s being steeped in bleach, I thought I’d use the griddle pan in the kitchen for this dish.

This is pretty simple but something I’ve been meaning to do for a while now. The Bratwurst sausages are great with the green slaw, which is inspired by a version found in the Pitt Cue Co’s book. A good book by the way. The sweet and sour dressing was all mine though and I added some tahini for a little bitter richness.

The mushroom hash was actually more a kind of warm potato salad, but worked well.

Serves 2:

4 Bratwurst sausages if you’re hungry. Two if not.

For the green slaw:

• 3 savoy cabbage leaves
• About a quarter to a third of a white cabbage
• 1/2 a white onion
• Half a green pepper
• Half a celery stick
• Handful of hazelnuts

For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp raspberry and chilli vinegar (very much optional)
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/s tsp sugar
• 1 tsp chilli oil
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 2 good pinches of sea salt
• 1 tsp tahini

For the mushroom hash:

• 2 large flat mushrooms sliced.
• About 12 baby potatoes, halved
• Dried thyme
• Rapeseed oil
• 4 garlic cloves, left in their skins
• 1/2 a white onion, sliced thinly
• Salt

Preheat the oven to moderate-high.

Start with the potatoes. Par boil them for about 10 minutes. Drain and lay on a deep baking tray with the mushrooms, onions and garlic. Season with salt and sprinkle over thyme and olive oil.

Roast until the potatoes are browned.

Meanwhile, make the slaw by very finely shredding the two types of cabbage, onion, celery and green pepper. Mix well in  bowl. Roughly crush the hazelnuts in a pestle and mortar (or with a rolling pin) and add them in.

Make the slaw dressing by mixing the ingredients in a bottle (I used a squeezy serving bottle) and shake well to mix. Taste and adjust it as you see fit.

Griddle the sausages until marked well then transfer to the oven to heat through.

Serve the sausages on the hash with the dressed slaw on top and your choice of sauce – I had some good Dijon mustard, and a nice cold continental beer.