Cabbage - Friend or Foe?

Daba, mom's dad, and Stephen in 1987.
His family was from Germany.

Our family ancestry is made up of mostly German, Irish, Polish and Scottish. My children had that plus all the Mexican bloodlines. So.... we are quite the "mutts". As I was growing up, my mom would make "pigs in a blanket" or Mom's Autumn Soup, both European dishes.  The star of these dishes was cabbage! Aside from those dishes and cole slaw, I had no idea how else to make cabbage and even really want to eat it. Over the last 5 year, I have learned to do a lot more with cabbage and found some really tasty ways to make it. Fall and Winter months are when cabbage is cheapest and most abundant. So I have been purchasing it regularly and doing different things with it.

Cabbage with Butter:

Core the cabbage and then cut into cubes.
2 cups water
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 stick butter
1 tbsp Mrs. Dash
Salt and Pepper to taste

This is a quick and simple vegetable dish. Put cubed cabbage into large pot with the water and salt. Heat until the cabbage comes to a full boil for about 5 minutes. Drain completely. Immediately put the butter into the pot with the Mrs. Dash, stir slightly to melt and mix. Then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.


Creamed Cabbage:

Core the cabbage and then shred (as you would for cole slaw or even buy a package already shredded)
2 cups water
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 stick butter
1/2 cup minced onion (lazy as I am I use the one in the jar - it works great!)
bacon bits (optional)
1/4 cup flour
1 cup cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cook the cabbage in the water and salt until tender, about 5 minutes. Empty into a colander and allow to drain completely. In same sauce pan, melt butter, add onion and then bacon and saute. Next add the flour to the fat in the pan and cook off the flour taste constantly stirring. Finally add the cream and stir until thick. Add the drained cabbage back into the pan and mix into the cream sauce, check to see if it needs any more salt or pepper. Serve hot!

I served this with Beef Stroganoff last night since both are European dishes they were a great compliment to each other. But this would be great with chicken and pork too!