Creamed Green Cabbage
This delectable cabbage is coated in a creamy béchamel sauce for extra flavor.
Ingredients:
1 small head green cabbage, cored and shredded (about 10 cups)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk, warmed
¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon grated Grana-style cheese
1 tablespoon lemon zest
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Bring 1-inch-deep salted water to a boil in a Dutch oven or large pot. Add the cabbage. Cover, and steam, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain, and let cool slightly. Squeeze out excess water using a kitchen towel.
2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, and cook until bubbling but not browning, 1-2 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk. Cook, stirring, until sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat; add ¼ cup cheese and the lemon zest. Immediately fold cabbage into sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Spoon mixture into a shallow (6-cup) casserole dish. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of cheese. Bake until bubbling, 30-35 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Shaved Brussels Sprouts with Apple & Bacon
Also tossed with brown sugar and apple cider vinegar, this warm side is sure to wow.
Ingredients:
1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed of tough ends
6 slices of bacon
1 tart apple, finely diced
2 large shallots, minced
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
½ cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
Method:
1. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until most of the fat has rendered and the meat is crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of the drippings from the skillet. Meanwhile, shave the trimmed Brussels sprouts using a box grater or mandoline.
2. Add the diced shallots to the skillet and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 5 minutes, then add the mustard seeds and stir to coat with the oil. Add the shaved Brussels sprouts to the pan and cook, again stirring until sprouts just begin to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Add the apple cider vinegar and brown sugar and toss thoroughly to combine.
3. Remove from the heat and transfer to a serving platter. (Be sure to scrape up all the delicious browned bits from the bottom of the skillet when doing so!) Crumble the bacon over top and add the apple slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Roasted Carrots, Two Ways
One sweet, the other savory, these easy methods allow freshly-roasted carrots to shine!
Ingredients:
1 bunch carrots, trimmed and peeled
Savory version:
1 tablespoon butter, melted
A few pinches garlic sea salt or Maldon flake salt
Fresh ground pepper
Chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano or parsley
Sweet version:
1 tablespoon unrefined coconut oil, melted
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
A few pinches ground cinnamon
A few pinches sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 375° with the racks in the middle. Prepare one cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. For the savory version, toss with melted butter and place on a cookie sheet. For the sweet version, combine melted coconut oil, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Toss the carrots with the mixture.
3. Bake both batches for about 40-45 minutes until slightly browned, caramelized and very soft. Brush the savory carrots with additional melted butter and chopped fresh herbs to finish.
Sweet Cabbage Slaw
Crafted with fresh cabbage, this sweet-and-sour slaw is a true German classic.
Ingredients:
5 cups shredded cabbage, such as this week’s Savoy variety
1 cup sliced apples
2 tablespoons butter
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons water
¼ cup sugar
2¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Method:
1. Place butter, cabbage, apples and sugar into a large pot. Pour in the vinegar and water, and season with salt, pepper and the clove.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer until the cabbage is tender, 1½ to 2 hours. Serve at room temperature.
