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Now I would never have thought so, but this is absolutely marvelous. The two of us ended up eating this whole fresh-from-the-garden cabbage in one sitting, practically licking the pan, and could not bring ourselves to save any for later. This is far and away the best cabbage I have ever eaten! It comes from “A Homemade Life” which I gave 5 stars on this blog. This recipe is a keeper, immediately going in the favorites pile. Really. Try it!

Cream Braised Green Cabbage

1 small green cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

To prepare the cabbage, pull away any bruised leaves, and trim it’s root end to remove any dirt. Cut the cabbage in quarters, and then cut each quarter in half lengthwise, taking care to keep a bit of the core in each wedge. ( The core will help you hold the wedge intact, so it doesn’t fall apart in the pan.) You should wind up with sight wedges of equal size.

In a 12-inch skillet, melt the butter over medium high heat. Add the cabbage wedges, arranging them in a single crowded layer with one of the cut sides down. Allow them to cook, undisturbed, until the downward facing side is nicely browned, 5 to 8 minutes. I like mine to get some good color here, so they have a sweetly caramelized flavor.

Then, using a pair of tongs, gently turn the wedges onto their other cut side. When the second side has browned, sprinkle the salt over the wedges, and add the cream. Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and reduce the heat so that the liquid stays at a slow, gentle simmer. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove the lid and gently, using tongs, flip the wedges. Cook another 20 minutes, or until the cabbage is very tender and yields easily when pierced with a thin, sharp knife. Add the lemon juice, and shake the pan to distribute it evenly.

Simmer, uncovered, for a few minutes more to thicken the cream to a glaze that loosely coats the cabbage. Serve immediately with additional salt at the table.

Enjoy!

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