This is my standard winter vegetable side, which is so simple, comforting, and savory-sweet that I make it at least once a week during the cold months.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 to 6

　　2 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　1 tablespoon olive oil

　　1/2 head green cabbage (about 1 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into 4 to 6 wedges

　　1/2 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth

　　1 teaspoon sea salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

　　

Step 1

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until sizzling hot (see Know-how, page 100). Place the cabbage in the saucepan, cut side down, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden brown.

　　

Step 2

Pour the broth over the cabbage and sprinkle with the salt, black pepper to taste, and red pepper flakes. Cover and bring the liquid to a low boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and most of the broth has evaporated. Remove from the heat and serve warm.

　　

On the Side

Step 3

Braised Cabbage’s mild sweetness makes it a natural partner for chicken and beef dishes, such as Brown Bag Chicken (page 136), Grilled and Roasted Fillet of Beef with Crispy Roasted Shallots (page 193), and Beer-Barbecued Brisket (page 194).

　　

Sara’s Swaps

Step 4

With the addition of carrots, potatoes, and onions, this simple dish becomes a meal in and of itself—a sort of vegetable pot-au-feu. For this variation, sauté the onions, carrots, and cabbage until tender before adding the potatoes and broth. You may need to add a little more broth. Cook until the potatoes are just tender and serve warm over Carolina Gold Rice (page 215) or, for a heartier supper, in place of the roasted vegetables with Foster Family’s Pot Roast (page 199).

　　Reprinted with permission from Sara Foster's Southern Kitchen: Soulful, Traditional, Seasonal by Sara Foster. Copyright © 2011 by Sara Foster. Published by Random House. All Rights Reserved.Sara Foster is the owner of Foster's Market, the acclaimed gourmet take-out store/cafés in Durham and Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and the author of several cookbooks including The Foster's Market Cookbook, winner of the Best Cookbook Award from the Southeast Booksellers Association. She has appeared numerous times on Martha Stewart Living Television and NBC's Today show. She has also been featured in magazines such as More, House Beautiful, and Southern Living, and is featured regularly in Bon Appétit.