Red Cabbage

Tight purple heads, denser and slightly peppery next to a white cabbage. It brings colour to a plate more reliably than anything else in the vegetable section.

Shredded raw it is the backbone of a coleslaw that stays crisp for a day. Cooked, it needs acid — a splash of vinegar or lemon early on, or the purple turns a disappointing blue-grey. Braised slowly with apple and a little sugar it becomes something quite different and worth doing.

Choose a head that is heavy, tight and glossy with no split leaves at the base. Loose outer leaves are normal and come off in one go.

Fridge, whole and unwrapped. Cabbage is one of the best keepers in this shop.

Two to three weeks whole. Once cut, wrap the face and use it within five days — the exposed surface goes grey first.