We are so excited this week to have a guest post from JB Dixon. He is what I call a “foodie” and creates some delicious meals…….
Greetings, Pekarek’s Produce fans! While the brutal hot & dry Summer drags on, I know that if you’re reading this, you’ll agree that it’s so great to be supporting all of the hard work of the Pekarek family by turning their great vegetables into satisfying meals for our families. A couple of weeks ago, our full share CSA bag included a beautiful head of green cabbage, a bag of Yukon Gold potatoes, and a few gorgeous onions. I knew I had to make a family favorite, even though the temperature was soaring outside. While this particular recipe screams for the Mid-March chill of St. Patrick’s Day, I have no problem making this particular recipe any time of year.
Cabbage & Potato Bake has all of the ingredients that remind me of the smells and flavors of my Granny Ocle’s* cooking growing up in Southwest Iowa (*pronounced “Oh-Suhl”….a good German name!), even though I don’t recall this particular dish ever being made by her. Before she and her sister (Aunt Bernice) passed away a few years ago, I had the opportunity to make this delicious, satisfying dish for them, honoring them in a way. It warmed me when they gave me their seal of approval; they loved it.
This is a hearty, savory, almost stew-like dish that stands on its own, with the sweetness of the onion and the smokiness of bacon becoming a match made in heaven. (I’ve often said that my own personal Yankee Candle scent would be “Bacon & Onions in a Cast Iron Skillet”… They’re made for one another) I could easily envision a few Seward County German riffs on this that would include a bit of sugar, and that would work fine. Try it this way first, and see what you think. Leftovers will freeze up to one month.
CABBAGE AND POTATO BAKE
1 cabbage, about 2 1/2 lbs.
5-6 Yukon Gold or red potatoes, peeled and cut in half or lengthwise, about 2 1/2 lbs
12-16 oz lean smoked bacon, cut to 1/2 in. dice
2 cups white or yellow onions, peeled and sliced lengthwise
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2-3 cups homemade chicken stock, or canned chicken stock or broth.
Preheat the oven to 375 Degrees.
Rinse the cabbage and remove the first layer of outer leaves. Cut the cabbage in half and remove the hard core. Cut the cabbage halves into thirds or quarters and place, rounded side down into a large roasting pan.
Peel and cut the potatoes, and arrange in the roasting pan, alternating with the cabbage pieces.
Fry the bacon in a medium skillet for 7 minutes, or just before it’s crispy, but do not drain.
Add the sliced onions (pause to take in how amazing that smells) salt & black pepper and cook until soft, about 5-6 minutes.
Evenly distribute the bacon mixture and pan drippings over the vegetables, then pour the chicken stock into the pan. Tightly cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil or a lid and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Remove the pan from the oven and allow to sit, covered, for 15 minutes before serving. Serve the vegetables with the bacon & broth spooned over them. Give thanks. Enjoy. Repeat.
