Braised Cabbage
Yes, yes, I know, it's not not a main dish, particularly, but we're on a health kick here at the Mettleworks Ohio branch office. Very often we'll get into a rut with vegetables and side dishes as we do with the main courses, so shake things up a bit. An even better advantage is this dish tastes wholly different from what you'd expect: it in no way resembles "steamed cabbage", which is a tribute to institutional blandness. It's really tasty, sporting a sweet & sour quality, and it's almost bulletproof to prepare.
One-quarter head of red/purple cabbage, thinly sliced (I use the purple ones- I also find it economical that grocery stores now are selling partial heads of cabbage lately, so waste is at a minimum)
One medium white or spanish onion, cut into thin rings
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tblsp brown sugar
1/2 cup good red wine
4-6 strips of cooked bacon, chopped (if it's raw, you can saute the bacon with the onion. On weekends I'll make more bacon than we need for breakfast and store the rest in a ziplock baggie in the fridge for recipes)
Freshly ground Pepper
Kosher salt to taste
Start off with a large skillet or deep pot and saute the onions with the olive oil until translucent (you can saute the bacon up with the onion if you don't already have some cooked. If this is the case, you can eliminate the olive oil as the bacon will have plenty of grease on it's own). Deglaze the pot by adding the balsamic vinegar, the pepper, chicken stock and wine. Bring to a boil and add the brown sugar.
After the sugar has dissolved, add the cabbage and cover tightly for 25 minutes on a medium-heat simmer, stirring occasionally.
Drink a glass of the wine.
After the cabbage is tender, drain any excess liquid from the pot and return to the stove for a few minutes under medium-high heat so the bottom layer of cabbage and onions carmelize nicely. Salt to taste.
That's it!I really like this with pork chops, knockwurst with brown mustard or kielbasa. I recommend a Pinot Noir (Trinity Oaks PN is a really nice wine- and laughably cheap! Use it for the recipe, too) or a fruity Cabernet and a marinated green bean & beet salad (recipe for this provided upon request).
Mih Writes:
Well this sounds like a winner! Especially now that our Indian Summer is finally giving way to Autumn's chill. Can you send me the salad recipe too, when you get a minute - or post it here - which ever is easiest!
:o)
Thanks!
And while we are speaking of culinary things, I can say that I have experienced my first ever oven fire, last night. I dunno what my dad cooked in there before, or how long ago, but I about wet myself when I saw flames inside the oven.
How exciting. :o/
UPDATE from Bryan: Okay the marinated green bean & beet salad. Quite possible the easiest marinated salad on the face of the earth.
Marinated Green Bean & Beet Salad
Two cans cut green beans, drained
One can sliced beets, drained
1/2 an onion, thinly sliced.
OPTIONAL: one 8-ounce can mushrooms, drained
3/4 cup "Zesty" or "Bold" style Italian dressing (Seven Seas, Kraft, Wishbone, whatever)
Combine in a large tupperware container with a lid, shake it all around to mix it, and leave it in the fridge for several hours or overnight. It's that simple.
