Cabbage is, I think, a kinda orphan vegetable. Chefs use a few leaves to make all types of roulades in the winter and almost everyone has a favorite summertime coleslaw, but otherwise it is just always there in the produce section pleading for cooks to do something wonderful with it. I have to admit that Asian cooks embrace its many guises and there are so many varieties that you would think that all kinds of cooks would have fun devising dishes that use it. Red, green, Savoy, Napa, Bok Choy (you can hunt up a number of posts about it), even Brussels Sprouts. I’ve posted about Stuffed Cabbage (April 2011) which, again, uses only few outer leaves, but I use it far more frequently as a side for grilled or roasted meats. Here’s what I do.
I thinly slice the leaves – just as you would do for coleslaw – then I sauté it in butter, brown sugar, and orange juice – a lot of the first and just a tad of sugar and oj. Sometimes, I just toss and turn it until it is slightly wilted, season with salt and pepper, and get it right to the table and sometimes I cover it and let it melt over very low heat. Sometimes I season with caraway seeds, sometimes a touch of smoked paprika, sometimes with a good dose of vinegar. In each disguise, the cabbage holds its own and adds unexpected depth as an accompaniment to an everyday grilled chop.
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