If you don’t have leeks, just substitute 2 onions, yellow or red, halved and sliced into half-moons.
INGREDIENTS:
1 red cabbage, bottom trimmed and any damaged leaves discarded 3 large leeks, white and pale green parts only, trimmed and washed 6-8 medium Mokum carrots (any carrot will work, but try to find them around 1½ inches thick), trimmed and cleaned/peeled 6 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces 2 cloves garlic, peeled and quartered lengthwise ½ cup Port type wine 1½ tablespoons red wine vinegar Dark vegetable stock or water as needed Salt and pepper to taste 2 inch sprig of fresh rosemary Oil if needed
METHOD:
Heat the oven to 300°F.
Halve the cabbage through the root. Cut the cabbage into 6 wedges (for a medium sized cabbage). Cut away much of the core, but leave enough to hold the wedges together.
Split the leeks lengthwise and slice ¼ inch.
Split carrots lengthwise and cut into 2 inch lengths.
Heat an oven-proof pan (with lid) that is large enough to hold the cabbage wedges, without too much overlap, over medium heat. While the pan starts to heat, add the bacon and spread it out. Cook the bacon until just crisp, rendering the fat but being sure not to burn it. Transfer to paper towel to drain.
Add the cabbage to the pan and brown the surfaces in the bacon fat. Add oil if needed. When the cabbage is lightly browned, drain it and transfer to paper towels to drain.
Add the carrots to the pan and lightly color the flat sides of the carrots, and then the other side. Remove form the pan and reserve.
See that there is oil in the pan and add the leeks or onions. Cook until “clear” and well softened.
Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add the Port and vinegar and cook until reduced by 50%. Add the rosemary. Layer in the carrots and then the cabbage on top of that. Add the stock to come half-way up the cabbage and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer, and place in the oven with the cover on. Cook for 20 minutes and check the cabbage wedges at the thickest end. They should be tender without any of it being raw. Continue to cook in the oven until this state is achieved. When done, remove from the oven and check the liquid in the pan. There should still be some, and this will become the sauce.
Transfer the cabbage and carrots to a platter or serving bowl, and put the pan on a hot burner on the stove. Turn up the heat to reduce the liquid in the pan to a syrupy sauce. Pour this over the cabbage wedges and scatter with the bacon.
Serve hot.
Serves: 4
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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