Eastern/Central European Comfort Food Favorites

They actually have a very nice recipe here on Chow for braised red cabbage, I think it's part of the Octoberfest menu. In short, you need to melt bacon, add onion, fry until it becomes yellowish, then add red cabbage, give it time to welt (sp?) for about 5 minutes, then add a combination of apples, hot water, rice wine vinegar, glove, sugar, salt and pepper. I boil it under the lid for 45-50 min, until cabbage becomes really soft. It's so good!

firefly1818 in Home Cooking

RECIPE REDUX: Recipes you've made 3 or more times that you love.

Awesome Ham dip (very good with toasted mini bagels) and kids loved it. (from allrecipes.com)

• 3 cups ground fully cooked ham (I use turkey ham from Stop&Shop)
• 1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped celery
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• Assorted crackers

That's from Chow:
Braised Red Cabbage with Bacon

TIME/SERVINGS

Total: 1 hr 15 mins

Active: 30 mins

Makes: 8 servings

By Regan Burns

Poor cabbage has a bad rap and we can’t figure out why. Prepared this way, it’s savory and delicious—a fabulous side dish.

What to buy: Red cabbage is classic in this dish, but our preparation method will work with any cabbage variety.

Game plan: You can make this dish up to one day ahead; it gets better as it sits.

For a vegetarian option, omit the bacon and substitute low-sodium vegetable broth for the chicken broth.

This recipe was featured as part of our Moktoberfest story.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium head red cabbage
6 thick slices applewood-smoked bacon, or other smoked bacon, cut into lardons (about 1/4-by-1/4-by-3/4-inch pieces)
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
INSTRUCTIONS

Slice cabbage in half lengthwise. Use a sharp knife to cut a V-shaped notch around the white core and discard it. Slice both pieces in half again so you have 4 quarters, then thinly slice each piece crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Set aside.
Place bacon in a large Dutch oven or other large pot with a tight-fitting lid over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is browned and most of the fat has cooked off.
Add onion and stir to coat in bacon fat. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook until onion softens and edges begin to brown, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add cabbage, stir to coat it in bacon fat and cook until cabbage begins to wilt, about 4 minutes. Stir in brown sugar and mustard.
Deglaze the pan by adding cider vinegar and scraping the pan with a spatula to incorporate the browned bits into the sauce. Add chicken broth and season with a few pinches of salt and more freshly ground pepper. Bring mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pan tightly. Simmer cabbage, stirring occasionally, until it is soft and soupy and bacon is tender, about 45 minutes. If cabbage begins to look dry, add more chicken broth or water.

My favorite recipe of this summer
Broccoli Slaw
Adapted from Kitchn & Smitten Kitchen/sassyradish
Ingredients:
2 heads broccoli
1 apple (Fuji or Gala are perfect for this)
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
3/4 cup slivered almonds
3 tbsp finely chopped fresh peppermint leaves
Dressing Ingredients:
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Shred the broccoli in a food processor, using the grater disk (the attachment with the smaller holes, not the one with long, thin blades). I prefer to use all of the broccoli: stems and the florets – the stems give the slaw some crunch and texture. I only chop off the stem ends, but everything else goes into the slaw. In a large bowl, combine the shredded broccoli, apple, currants, cranberries, red onion, almonds and mint.
Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, salt, and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if needed. Allow to sit for 30 minutes (or an hour in the fridge) so the flavors can mingle.

firefly1818 in Home Cooking