One of the most unappreciated vegetables out there is the cabbage, in my opinion. Much like brussel sprouts, cabbage is misunderstood and unduly maligned. Granted when not cooked properly, it can often taste strong and certainly stink up a kitchen quickly. Most often it is served boiled along with a big hunk of meat, i.e. brisket on St. Patrick's Day or with a pot roast and a bunch of other overcooked veggies. Mind you, a boiled hunk of cabbage isn't bad if you drown it in enough butter and then wash it down with some good, strong Guinness stout, while toasting the Irish.
Cabbage can be quite delicious though with just a few added ingredients and a proper cooking technique. Today I braised a small head of cabbage that had been chopped into nice bite size pieces along with a couple of slices of bacon,diced onion and some seasoning. When served with a splash of balsamic vinegar, it truly could have been a meal in itself. Give cabbage another try and treat it with some respect and you too could be pleasantly surprised.
1 small head of cabbage
3 strips of bacon, cooked and cut into bite size pieces (reserve 1-2 Tbsp bacon fat)
1/2 white onion, diced
salt and pepper
Chop cabbage into bite sized pieces, set aside. Cook bacon and cut into bite size pieces and set aside. Heat 2-3 Tbsp. bacon fat in a large skillet. Cook onion until golden brown. Add cabbage and combine well with onion. Put heat on medium and put on pan lid. Let cabbage braise for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add bacon bits, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
2 comments:
I love cabbage! I keep forgetting to prepare it as simply as you did. You're right, in that it's misunderstood. Of course, bacon makes everything more palatable!
Yum.
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