I have never really been a fan of cabbage until recently. A couple of years ago my wife decided to try her hand at a recipe for braised cabbage she found. It was delicious. I was hooked.
So this year, for the first time in over 35+ years of gardening, I grew my own cabbage. I can’t believe it took me that long to get with the program. It makes me wonder how many other things I should be growing.
Here’s the recipe for the braised cabbage.
Organic Cabbage Braised in Cream
1 small green cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
First, strip off the outer, bruised leaves then trim the root end to get rid of any dirt or garden debris. Quarter the cabbage then cut each quarter in half, making sure to keep some of the core in each wedge. (The core will help the cabbage wedge to stay together when you flip it over in the pan.) You should have eight equal sized wedges. (NOTE: In the pictures, I used a 3 pound cabbage, my first one of the season, so I only got 5 wedges to fit in the pan.)
Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet, using medium high heat. Arrange the cabbage wedges in the skillet with one of the cut sides down. Don’t pile them on top of each other. Let them cook until nicely browned, 5 to 8 minutes. This gives them a nice caramelized flavor.
Gently turn the wedges over and brown the second side, another 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle with the salt and add the cream. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and turn the heat to low so it stays at a slow, gentle simmer. Cook 20 minutes (check on it to make sure it’s not burning and adjust time if necessary), then remove the lid and gently turn the wedges over. Cook 20 minutes on this side or until nicely brown. The cabbage should be very tender and easily pierced through with a sharp knife. Add the lemon juice evenly on top of the wedges.
Simmer for 2-3 minutes with out the cover to thicken the cream if needed. Serve immediately.
On the slight chance you have some left over, it warms up nicely in a skillet on low heat.
Here are some pics of the process:
When you try this, let me know how it comes out.
Here’s to eating delicious fresh food, right out of your garden,
James Early
OG 365
Getting the most out of your garden all year long
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James, Thanks for divulging a new way to do a favorite veg of mine. I put the braised cabbage over some basmati rice flavored with dill and caraway seeds, and then topped with crispy crumbled bacon. Yumsters