85. CABBAGE BRAISED with RIESLING and BACON

serves four


1 cabbage (1 pound)
2 tablespoons pure olive oil
1 small carrot (3 ounces), peeled, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/2 large stalk of celery (2 ounces), cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 small yellow onion (5 ounces), peeled, cut into 1/4-inch dice
4 ounces smoked bacon, sliced 1/4 inch thick, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
3/4 cup slightly sweet Riesling or Gewürztraminer
2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar or cider vinegar

Slice the cabbage in half, remove the core, and cut the cabbage into rough chunks about 1 inch wide. Warm the olive oil in a 6-quart noncorroding casserole. Add the vegetables, bacon, thyme, and wine and bring to a simmer. Put half the cabbage in the pot and sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the salt and a little freshly ground pepper over the layer. Repeat with the remaining cabbage.

Cover the pot tightly and braise the cabbage slowly over low heat. After 20 minutes, stir the cabbage gently so that the leaves on top move to the bottom and the vegetables and bacon are mixed throughout. Replace the cover and cook another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender. Taste the cabbage and correct for salt and pepper if necessary. Add the vinegar and toss well.

The cabbage can be made several hours in advance and warmed just before serving it.


courtesy of: Chez Panisse Cooking by Paul Bertolli with Alice Waters. New York: Random House, Inc., 1988, p. 90.