Bacon Braised Cabbage

I will be the first to admit that I have been in something of a blogging and cooking funk recently.  We have made several recipes lately (including a lackluster kale salad on Sunday and a few other things that aren't immediately coming to mind) that just haven't been worth posting.  And that makes me sad.  I almost didn't post this recipe either, but what the heck.  I know that cabbage isn't exactly groundbreaking, earthshattering stuff but I wanted to eat the cabbage in the fridge and was feeling a little lazy.  So we braised the cabbage very simply with some bacon, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, butter and chicken stock.  Et voila - dinner is served.  Before I go any further I must admit that this was not my favorite cabbage recipe we have ever prepared.  If we are sticking with braised or sauteed cabbage, I thought Thomas Keller's Sauteed Savoy Cabbage with Speck and Lemon was richer (without feeling heavy) and much more flavorful.  And if we are branching out to recipes that included cabbage, I would say I preferred this Pasta with Caramelized Cabbage, Anchovies and Bread Crumbs and this Vietnamese Cabbage and Egg Stir-Fry.  We also make a number of variations on Asian chicken salads that include cabbage and are quite delicious but I am going to ignore them for now because cabbage plays far less of a role in those preparations.  This cabbage was good, but we had to add hot sauce to give it a little extra flavor.  Otherwise it was just kind of... blah.  The Worcestershire sauce was an interesting touch and I do enjoy the combination of cabbage, chicken stock and bacon, but it didn't really seem to come together here.  And it just felt really heavy, which, if you ask me, defeats the purpose of eating cabbage for dinner. 

Recipe after the jump!




Bacon Braised Cabbage
Adapted from Serious Eats

INGREDIENTS:
1 red cabbage, halved, cored and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 slices bacon, chopped
evoo
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp butter
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
s&p
hot sauce (optional)

Place the bacon in a large Le Creuset (or sauce pan) on a medium heat with a little evoo and stir around for a few minutes until perfectly crisp and golden. Stir in the garlic. As garlic begins to turn golden, add the Worcestershire sauce, butter, and cabbage. Stir well and turn the heat up to high. Pour the broth into the pan, and give it all a good stir. Place the lid on top and cook for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to cook until cabbage is tender, another 5-7 minutes.

Taste, and season with s&p. Drizzle with a evoo just before serving and serve with hot sauce.