In yesterday's post about the beer brined pork chops, I told you that I would post the recipe for this delicious grilled cabbage. Do you like cabbage? Did you eat it as a child growing up? We did! Every week. And, you guessed it, it was usually boiled and it made the house smell terrible, but I always loved cooked cabbage. Then, there is sauerkraut. Yum. Love it. Dan hates it. Also, there is the Indiana state vegetable, cole slaw, which is made from cabbage. My friend that we met for lunch today called cole slaw the Indiana state vegetable years ago and it made me laugh so hard I have never forgotten it. Our whole family refers to cole slaw as the Indiana state vegetable to this day. Why did he call it that? Because it is served at every picnic, pot luck, and restaurant in the state. How much cole slaw have we eaten in our lives? Waaaaay too much.
Ever tried kimchee? It is also made from cabbage. My research said that cabbage and bean curd are the two most used ingredients for cooking in China. Wonder if they ever make cole slaw?
Cabbage is a very old vegetable, with cultivation beginning around 1000 BCE according to information I found. Cabbage is a main ingredient in European cooking and Chinese cooking. The most common use is by pickling, such as sauerkraut and kimchee. Cabbage is really good for us. It is full of anti-carginogens, beta carotene, and vitamin C. Cabbage is related to broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. The reason many people don't like to cook cabbage in the house is because of the really strong smell that permeates the air. Well, here is the perfect solution -- GRILL IT! Cooking it out of doors keeps the smell out of the house. Tadah!
Grilled cabbage is amazingly good, let me tell you. It is easy to make also. Here is how I made mine.
1 medium sized head cabbage, cut into wedges
4-5 slices bacon, uncooked
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup grated fresh parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Cut the head of cabbage in half and then into wedges. I got 6 wedges. However many wedges you have, tear that many pieces of aluminum foil about 12 inches long.
Place a wedge of cabbage in the center of each piece of foil. Lay the bacon strips on top of each other and cut into 1/2 inch strips crossways. These are called "lardons" of bacon. Lay some of the lardons on each cabbage wedge. Now, chop the onion and put some on each wedge.
Cut the 1/2 stick of butter into very thin pieces and lay some on each wedge. Sprinkle fresh parmesan over each wedge, sprinkle with a small amount of salt and lots of black pepper.
Bring the long ends of the foil together and roll tightly down to the enclosed cabbage. Roll the ends up tightly, so that there are no holes where the steam can escape while cooking.
Light your grill on one side, leaving the other side unheated. Place the foil packets on the unheated side. They should cook about 45 minutes total. Turn the packets over about 1/2 way through. Remove from the grill, open and serve. Yum. Yum. One of the best side dishes ever for summer grilling season!
If your bacon doesn't look really crisp when you open your packets, put the pieces in a microwave proof bowl and heat for about 15-30 seconds to crisp it up and redistribute over the cabbage. Some of mine were crispy, a couple not as much as I would like. So, when you turn the packets over, you might also want to rearrange them on the grill so the outside packets are closer to the heat for a while. Just a little FYI.
We really enjoyed this super delicious cabbage with our beer brined pork chops and sour cream mashed potatoes. Oh so good!
Give this recipe a try. It's delicious. You are really going to like it.
Everyday Donna
Things to Remember:
Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education. Mark Twain
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