Braised Red Cabbage With Pancetta
Serves 6 to 8
Note: This is one of those dishes that tastes even better a day or two after it's made. Store leftovers in a covered dish in the refrigerator. Use an uncut block of pancetta (Red Table makes a nice one) and cut it into chunks. These fry up into crisp nuggets of meaty goodness. (Be warned, you'll find yourself eating them right out of the pan.) From Beth Dooley.
• 4 to 6 oz. pancetta
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 lb. red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 to 3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 to 3 tbsp. honey
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Directions
With a sharp knife, cut and remove the tough skin from the bottom of the pancetta. Slice into 1/2-inch strips, stack those and dice the pancetta into chunks. Turn the pancetta into a deep skillet, set over medium-high heat and fry to render the fat and crisp the pancetta, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the nuggets and drain on a paper towel, leaving the fat in the skillet.
Add the onion and cabbage to the skillet and toss with the pancetta fat. Set the skillet over medium heat, cover and cook until the cabbage softens, about 3 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the vinegar and continue cooking until the cabbage is very tender, another 3 minutes. Stir in the honey, salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving, scatter the cooked pancetta over the cabbage.
Nutrition information per each of 8 servings:
Calories150
Fat12 g
Sodium100 mg
Carbohydrates11 g
Saturated fat4 g
Total sugars8 g
Protein2 g
Cholesterol15 mg
Dietary fiber2 g
Exchanges per serving: 2 vegetable, 2 ½ fat.
