Sauté of Savoy Cabbage with Pears and White Wine

Here is a wonderful side dish that can easily convert to a main course with the addition of a few carrots and some sausage.

INGREDIENTS:

8 cups level Savoy cabbage, cut into ¼ x 1½ pieces (1 x 1 inch works as well)

2 cups pear (the pear needs to be one of those that is firm-ish when ripe, not a really soft type), cut into 3/8th inch dice, a little lemon juice drizzled on to prevent browning

1 medium yellow or white onion, cut into ¼ inch dice

½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped

1 small pinch cinnamon-not more than 1/8th teaspoon-optional

1 garlic clove, peeled and left whole

¼ + ¼ cup, or as needed, gewürztraminer or Riesling, on the dry side

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Neutral flavored oil, as needed

Optional- 6 slices thin-cut bacon, cooked until golden and crisp, kept as flat as possible, then patted free of oil with paper towelling, then cut cross-ways into ¼ inch long pieces

METHOD:

Heat a large chef’s pan or deep fry pan/sauteuse (4 quart/12-inch) with top over medium heat. While the pan heats, drizzle the pears with a little oil and gently toss to coat all over. If you choose to use, sprinkle the cinnamon over the pears and toss gently to mix the cinnamon into the pears.

When the pan is hot, lightly film the pan with oil, then add 1 tablespoon of butter, and as soon as it stops foaming, add the pear dice and toss to coat with butter. Cook, gently tossing occasionally, until the pear is golden all over and fragrant. Season lightly with salt and pepper and then remove to a bowl.

Film the pan liberally with oil and heat it until it shivers, then add the garlic clove. Tip the pan towards the handle and allow the garlic to flavor the oil, moving it around to prevent burning it. Once it is golden all over, remove and discard the garlic. Add the onions, half the thyme, and 2 tablespoons of pear, and toss to evenly coat with oil. Cook gently until softened and fragrant, but do not allow anything to burn or get dark, reducing the heat if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the cabbage to the pan, season with salt and pepper and add the rest of the thyme. Drizzle with a small amount of oil, and use tongs to turn the mess in the pan to combine everything. (If there is more cabbage than will fit at once, add as much as will fit, cook until the pile has reduced a little and add more until it all fits in.)

Cook a few minutes until the mess starts to shrink. Drizzle the ¼ cup of the wine over the cabbage and turn the vegetables in the wine, then cover the pan with a lid. Cook, shaking the pan every 30 seconds. Check the pan after 2 minutes. The cabbage should be wilting and the wine evaporated. Add the second ¼ cup of wine, stir, and replace the lid. Cook until cabbage has wilted and is no longer raw. It should be tender without being really soft or smelly. If there is still liquid in the pan bottom, turn up the heat and cook, stirring frequently until it is mostly gone. When there is only around 1 tablespoon of liquid left, make a well in the center of everything, add the last tablespoon butter and allow to melt into the liquid. Turn the cabbage into the butter, coating all the vegetables. If using, scatter the bacon over the vegetables, toss to combine, and serve hot.

Chef’s Notes: To make this a one-pot dinner, steam or blanch small potatoes and carrots until tender and add when cooking the onion. Add pre-cooked sausages such as chicken apple, bratwurst, or the like just after turning the cabbage the first time and proceed as above.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen