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Nita's Stewed Cabbage

Source of Recipe

From "Beans, Greens and Sweet Georgia Peaches"


Recipe Introduction

"People who profess to hate stewed cabbage marvel at Nita Dixon's version of this commonplace dish. The secrets to its success are several. First, she never puts salt pork or bacon in the pot, explaining that there are other ways to make things taste good than to always put meat in them. Second, she says you must be careful not to overcook it; the cabbage should still be quite green and, though tender, have a pleasing firmness to the bite. Most important of all, the cabbage must be as fresh as possible. Says Nita, 'Baby, if you want them vegetables to taste good, they better be fresh.' Choose a cabbage with plenty of healthy, dark green leaves."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 small, fresh green cabbage (about 2 pounds)
â—¦ 1 medium green bell pepper
â—¦ 1 medium yellow onion
â—¦ 2 Tbsp fat left over from frying chicken, or unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled
â—¦ Salt, sugar, and ground cayenne
â—¦ 2 Tbsp unsalted butter


Recipe

Strip off any discolored or withered leaves from the cabbage, but don't discard any of the healthy-looking, dark green leaves. Remove the dark green leaves, wash them thoroughly, roll them together, and cut them into thin strips. Set aside. Quarter the cabbage and cut out the core from each quarter. Sliver each quarter lengthwise into the thinnest possible strips. Set aside separately from the dark green leaves.

Stem, core, and seed the pepper and cut it into the thinnest strips you can manage. Cut off the root and stem ends of the onion, split it lengthwise, peel, and slice it into thin strips.

Choose a kettle that will comfortably hold all the cabbage. Put the 2 tablespoons of fat or butter into the kettle with the dark green cabbage leaves, bell pepper, and onion. Turn on the heat to medium and sauté until the vegetables are wilted. Add the garlic, give it a stir, and add just enough water to barely cover the cabbage. Cover and steam until crisp-tender, but still a little underdone, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining cabbage, a couple of healthy pinches of salt, a large pinch of sugar, and a pinch of cayenne, and cover the kettle. Cook until the cabbage is tender but firm to the bite, about 15 minutes more. It should still be bright green and not army-fatigue brown. Stir in the butter, taste and adjust the seasonings, and serve hot.


Serves 4 to 6