CREAMY CABBAGE WITH APPLES AND BACON

Creamy Cabbage with Apples and Bacon image

Great winter soul food, terrific with chops or brats. Mildly sweet and sour, this dish smells divine and just makes you feel good. Leftovers, if that's possible, are even better and keep well. Coriander seeds lend just the right mysterious note and a few go a long way. However, any of the herb seeds (mustard, dill, and celery are all good) or combinations thereof are great for variety. This is a rustic dish, so don't fuss with your chopping -- everything, including the bacon, should be in good-sized chunks, about the same size.

Provided by Terry Temple

Categories Side Dish Vegetables

Time 1h20m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 12

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Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil
6 slices bacon, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 head green cabbage, cored and chopped
2 large Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and thickly sliced
½ cup chicken stock, or as needed
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
1 pinch nutmeg
½ cup sour cream

Steps:

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add the bacon and cook and stir until most of the fat is rendered, and the bacon is lightly browned but still slightly limp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a small bowl; do not drain. Pour off any excess bacon fat in the pan, according to your taste.
Stir the onion into the pot, season with salt and pepper, and cook and stir over medium-high heat until onion is translucent. Sprinkle in the sugar, then stir in the vinegar-stand back or you'll get a nose full! Scrape up the delicious brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cabbage, stirring well to combine.
Cook, uncovered, until cabbage is reduced and starts to soften, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in apples, stock, and coriander seeds. Cover, reduce heat to medium low, and cook for at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add more stock as needed, and continue cooking until the cabbage is soft, but not falling apart.
Just before serving, remove the cover and stir in the bacon with its juices. Cook over medium-high heat until any remaining liquid is reduced to a syrup and the mixture is piping hot, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in nutmeg, and fold in the sour cream. Your digestive tract will thank you.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 149.4 calories, Carbohydrate 19.4 g, Cholesterol 13.9 mg, Fat 6.7 g, Fiber 5.1 g, Protein 5.3 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 237.4 mg, Sugar 12.6 g