Braised Red Cabbage With Fennel Seeds And Bacon Recipes

BRAISED RED CABBAGE WITH BACON

Steps:

• Cook bacon in a large wide pot over medium-high heat until just crisp, about 5 minutes. Add sugar and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds more. Add onions and salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are golden and soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in apples, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until tender, 6-8 minutes.
• Add port, vinegar, and cabbage to the onion-apple mixture; stir to combine. Cover the pot and cook until cabbage is bright purple and slightly wilted, 5-7 minutes. Add stock and salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until cabbage is tender but still red, about 1 1⁄4 hours. Stir in red currant jelly, season with more salt and pepper, and cook briefly, 4-5 minutes more.

BRAISED CABBAGE STUFFED WITH SAUSAGE & FENNEL

Steps:

• FOR THE SAUCE
• In a food processor, purée the onion, celery, fennel, and garlic to a coarse paste.
• Coat a large wide pan with olive oil and add the pancetta; bring to medium heat and cook until brown and crispy, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add the puréed veggies, ground fennel seeds, and red pepper and cook until the vegetables become soft and aromatic and start to brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Add the wine, bring to a boil (BTB), and reduce by half, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, chicken stock, and bay leaves and season with salt. Bring to a boil (BTB) and reduce to a simmer (RTS); cook for 15 minutes. Taste to make sure it's delicious; adjust the seasoning as needed.
• FOR THE CABBAGE AND STUFFING
• Add the vinegar to large pot of well-salted water, bring it to a boil (BTB), and set up a large bowl of well-salted ice water. Add the cabbage to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until just tender; immediately plunge it into the salty ice water. When the leaves are cool, remove them from the water and pat dry. Reserve.
• Coat a large sauté pan with olive oil. Add the onion, fennel, and red pepper and season with salt. Bring the pan to medium heat and cook the vegetables until soft and aromatic, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
• In a large bowl, combine the sausage, bread crumbs, Parm, chicken livers (if using), and egg. Season with salt, add 1/2 cup water, and mix well to combine; if the mixture seems too dry, add up to another 1/2 cup water-it should be kind of wet. Stir in the onion-fennel mixture.
• Make a 1- to 2-inch tester patty. In a small sauté pan, heat a bit of oil and cook the patty. When it's cool enough, taste it to make sure it's delicious-if it's not, reseason.
• Lay each cabbage leaf on a flat work surface. Spoon about 1/4 cup of filling into each leaf. Fold the outside edges in and roll the leaf around the stuffing. Place each roll on the work surface with the seam side down so the roll will hold itself shut. Look at us, always thinking!
• Add the cabbage rolls to the sauce, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, then uncover and simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced and thickened. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the cabbage rolls with the sauce spooned over them.