What I love about this dish: It lends itself to your imagination!
Add, subtract or change it up as you look in your refrigerator or pantry. If you have an extra sweet potato or a chunk of winter squash, dice it and add it. Toss in some kale too if you like.
You can make this in about 30 minutes and it can be a stand alone vegetarian entree or serve as a side dish to chicken, pork or a meaty fish like halibut.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup diced or chunked slab bacon (NOT if you are going vegetarian)
**If vegetarian, substitute 3 tablespoons butter and a little extra salt. If you have an alder smoked salt you’ve been wondering what to do with, here is your opportunity.
3/4 cup onion, about 1/4 inch dice
1 1/2 cups yukon gold potatoes, a little larger dice than onions (whatever potatoes you have on hand will be delicious)
1 bay leaf
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
8 cups green cabbage in large dice (not a good recipe fro red cabbage, it will cook up kind of mushy and brown)
1/2 cup heavy cream
For Bread Crumbs (if you wish)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups fresh bread crumbs or cubes
1 clove garlic minced or squished in a garlic press
Pinch salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
3/4 cup Comte or Gruyere cheese ( or swiss ,jarlsberg)
Preparation
Pre heat oven to 425’. cook bacon in 12 inch saute pan over medium heat for about 2 minutes.
** Vegetarian** Melt butter and cook until golden brown over a medium -low heat.
Add onions and saute over medium heat, stirring frequently until bacon is crisp and/or onions are golden, about 5 minutes.
Add potatoes, bay leaf, salt, pepper and saute, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add cabbage and saute, stirring until cabbage wilts a bit, about 5 minutes.
Turn cabbage mixture into a shallow 2 quart casserole or gratin dish.
Pour cream into saute pan and reduce over high heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until reduced by half. This will take about 2 minutes and if you walk away, you will be very sorry. Stay and stir!
Pour cream over cabbage and stir to mix. Cover casserole with lid OR parchment then foil. Bake for 10 minutes.
Bread crumb topping:
While casserole is in the oven, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over low heat until foamy. Add bread crumbs and saute , stirring constantly with wooden spoon until crisp and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat, add garlic, salt, cayenne pepper, mustard and parsley, stir to combine well.
Sprinkle casserole with cheese, add bread crumbs and return to oven uncovered. Bake until bubbly and fragrant about 5 or 6 minutes.
** IF you are gluten free, add the garlic, salt, mustard, cayenne and parsley to the cheese before you sprinkle over casserole.
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