That’s actually a gross exaggeration. Two heads of cabbage in most households does not qualify as “lots and lots of cabbage,” but when you’re the only person that likes cabbage in a household, two heads of cabbage can seem a little overwhelming. When I got the first head of cabbage in my Greenling box, I thought it was the prettiest head of cabbage I had ever seen. I immediately started thinking up ways to cook it. A week went by without any decision being made and then another head of cabbage arrived. I decided it was time to get cracking. My plan was to find a way to cook the cabbage so that Shawn would eat it and possibly like it a little. The only way I have seen him enjoy cabbage in the past is when it is stewed with ground beef and onions and then stuffed into little white dough balls. The balls are then baked to form a meat and cabbage pocket that is then to be dipped in ketchup and mustard and eaten. These strange objects are called “bierocks”.
That’s all fine and dandy if you are, like Shawn, a bottomless pit that can eat an entire loaf of white bread in one sitting. If you’re like me, all that bread gets pretty filling and is pretty heavy in the stomach. So bierocks were out, and I was not ready to re-live my recent experience with cabbage rolls (don’t ask). So here is what I came up with. A dish of cabbage and potatoes, sauteed with a little bacon and baked with a touch of cream and an herb cheese topping. It was quick, satisfying and didn’t make the house smell like boiled cabbage, which was a key factor in convincing the boy to eat most of it.
So, that’s 1/2 a head of cabbage down. Only one and a half heads to go. Next on the cabbage list is baked crispy spring rolls (egg rolls). Stay tuned folks.
Cabbage Potato Gratin with Herb Cheese
Makes 4-6 side dish servings.
2 strips of bacon, 1/2 inch dice
2 cups yukon gold potatoes, 1/2 inch dice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 of a medium head of cabbage, 1/2 inch dice
salt and pepper
1/3 cup half and half
2 oz boursin garlic herb cheese or goat cheese, crumbled
1. Preheat oven to 425. Render the bacon in a large skillet until crispy. Add the potatoes and garlic and cook until lightly browned. Then add ¼ cup of water and cover. Cook until the potatoes are tender and then remove the lid and allow any remaining liquid to evaporate. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Add the cabbage and saute until it wilts slightly. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the half and half and cook for a minute or two to reduce the cream. Place the mixture in a square 8 inch casserole dish. Distribute the crumbled cheese evenly over the top and bake 20 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Tags: bacon, cabbage, cheese, garlic, gratin, Greenling, half and half, potato