629. MAPLE and GINGER-BRAISED RED CABBAGE with BACON

serves 6 to 8


1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
2 slices thick-cut bacon (2 ounces), cut into 1/2-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion (6 ounces), thinly sliced
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 medium head red cabbage (about 1 3/4 pounds), quartered, cored, and thinly sliced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Heat the oven to 300 degrees.

Frying the bacon: Combine the oil and bacon in a large deep ovenproof skillet (12- to 13-inch), set the skillet over medium heat, and fry the bacon until it renders its fat and begins to crisp, 5 minutes. Scoop out the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside on paper towels to drain.

Sautéing the aromatics and wilting the cabbage: Add the butter to the bacon fat in the pan and stir in the sliced onion. Season with salt and pepper and sauté, stirring a few times, until the onion turns limp, about 2 minutes. Add the apple and ginger and stir to combine. Increase the heat to medium-high and begin adding the cabbage a few handfuls at a time. Once all the cabbage is in the skillet, sauté, stirring frequently, until the strands begin to wilt and have a moist gleam, about 6 minutes. Add the vinegar and syrup, and return the bacon to the pan. Stir to incorporate, and let the liquid come to a boil.

The braise: Cover the pan and slide into the middle of the oven. Braise at a gentle simmer, stirring every 20 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and deeply fragrant, about 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.


courtesy of: All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking, by Molly Stevens. W.W. Norton & Company, 2004