Braised Cabbage with Bacon

Braised Cabbage with Leeks and Bacon | AFoodCentricLife.com

5 from 1 vote

This is so good you will want to serve it more often than St. Patrick’s Day. It’s nice along side roast chicken or salmon any time of the year. Try it topped with a poached egg for weekend breakfasts. To make this vegetarian you can skip the bacon, and to make it vegan, use vegetable broth.

Prep Time7

Cook Time10

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: Irish

Servings:

Calories: 131kcal

Author: Sally Cameron

Ingredients

1 large leek pale green and white part only
1 small head green cabbage
4 strips bacon uncured
1 tablespoon olive oil or use all bacon fat
3 garlic cloves finely chopped
¾ cup grated carrot
⅔ cup chicken broth or vegetable
2 teaspoons fresh chopped thyme
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons fresh chopped parsley optional

Instructions

Prep work

Cut root end and dark green top off of leek and discard. Slice leek in half lengthwise. Run leek halves under cold water to remove any sand and dirt. Dry. Lay them flat on a cutting board and chop thinly crosswise.
Cut cabbage in half through the root, lay halves flat on a cutting board and slice crosswise into thin ribbons. You will need 4 cups of packed cabbage.
Slice bacon crosswise into thin strips.

Cook bacon

In a large sauté or fry pan over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon pieces and drain on paper towels reserving 1 tablespoon of bacon drippings in pan. Wipe the rest from the pan with paper towels.

Cook cabbage

Add olive oil to pan. Heat oil over medium heat. Add leek and carrot and cook about 2 minutes, stirring, until softened. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer.
Add cabbage to the pan along with broth, thyme and bay leaf. Stir and turn to coat vegetables well with broth and juices. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper. Add cooked bacon.
Cover pan with a lid and cook until cabbage is soft and wilted, about 7 minutes. Taste to determine if cabbage is done enough for you. If you would prefer it softer, cover and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
Remove bay leaf before serving, sprinkle with parsley, and adjust seasoning with any additional salt and pepper.

Notes

Try Savoy cabbage in place of the green cabbage. It's slightly milder and more tender than green cabbage.
Napa cabbage is another good variation with a softer texture and it's a bit sweeter.
Swap pancetta for the bacon. It's still rich but slightly saltier than bacon.
Substitute bits of finely chopped ham or corned beef instead of the bacon.

Nutrition