A Work In Progress

I was inspired, after watching an Iron Chef episode, in which creamed cabbage was part of a dish.

I'd never had creamed cabbage; would never have even thought of it. But it sounded good. So here's what I've come up with:

Lamb Balls With Creamed Cabbage

1 lb ground lamb
1 pkg calimyrna figs, coursely chopped
3 tbls za'taar, divided
Flour
Oil for pan frying

1/2 lb slab bacon cut in lardings
1 onion, chopped
1 head cabbage, cored and coursly shredded
1 tsp cracked caraway seeds
1 pint cream (very approx)

Mix the lamb with the figs (a package is 12 oz, but I think up to a pound would work), 2 tbls za'taar, and salt & pepper to taste. Form into balls (I used a 2-tbls sized disher) and roll in flour that's been seasoned with the remaining za'taar.

Fry the balls in about a quarter inch of oil, until browned all over and cooked through. Set aside.

In a large skillet, fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, leaving grease behind. In same skillet, saute onions until just turning color. Add caraway seeds and cook 30 seconds more. Add cabbage and cook, stirring from time to time, until cabbage is wilted. Add 1 pint of cream (a guess---I just poured until it looked right), turn up heat, and cook until cream is reduced by at least half and thickens.

Add lamb balls to the pan and continue cooking until lamb is warmed through and coated with the cream sauce.

To serve: Put a mound of cabbage centered in plate. Surround by lamb balls (the size I made them, 3 is an ample meal). Spoon some of the sauce over the cabbage and sprinkle with the bacon.

KY -

You've never had creamed cbbage???

CREAMED CABBAGE

Melt about 3 T. butter in a saucepan, add 6 c. shredded cabbage, and cook, tossing for a few minutes; you want to coat the cabbage with the butter. Add about 1/4 c water and about 1 t. salt; cover and simmer till tender - 10 - 14 minutes. Add 1/2 c sour cream and about 2 t. flour, cook a few minutes to make sure you cook the flour.

You can add cooked, drained and crumbled bacon when done.

or -

shred some cabbage (medium head) and cook until tender in boiling salted water; drain well. Transfer to buttered casserole. Melt 3 T. butter in saucepan; add 3 T. and cook; add 1 1/2 c. milk and a few shakes of salt; add the milk slowly - thicken a bit. Pour over cabbage; sprinkle with breadcrumbs and bake at 350* for 15 minutes until heated through.

Those are just basic recipes. Go well with pork and ham.

Yeah. Must have led a deprived childhood. Truth is, I'd never even heard of it before that Iron Chef episode.

All those year wasted, sob.

Poor child - LOL!

Anyway - I posted the basics - you can take it from there and do what you want with them.

I've added ingredients, etc. - so it's easy to play with.

These recipes sound so good ya' all! Thanks for sharing, I like KYH had never ever heard of creamed cabbage but it sounds delicious! I will be trying it, when we cook our next corned beef brisket! I think it'll go well with that and the Lamb sounds good as well. Have either of you ever had the sauerkraut that is sweet and sour and has the caraway seeds in it? I love that stuff, but it is hard to find. KYH your recipe sounds good with the caraway seeds added to the dish, how interesting!

Hope everyone had a terrific and Blessed Easter! Cathy

I've got a couple of versions of what amounts to sweet & sour kraut, Cathy. Oddly enough, neither of them contain caraway.

ZESTY SAUERKRAUT RELISH

1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
2 tbls prepared mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 large red pepper
1 med onon
1/2 cucumber

Heat the sugar and vinegar until sugar dissolves. Stir in the mustard, garlic, and salt. Allow to cool.

Slice onion thinly in half moons. Cut pepper and cucumber into short julienne strips. Drain and squeeze kraut.

Mix vegetables in large bowl. Add the vinegar mixture and combine well. Allow to stand in fredte at least four hours.

ZESTY BARBECUE SLAW

1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
1 tsp smokeing salt
Couple shots hot sauce

Mix ingredients and heat until blended.

In a bowl combine 1 large can draut, drained, 1 onion, chopped, 1 green pepper, chopped and one large carrot, shredded. Mix vegetables with vinegar mixture and chill.

On the other hand, caraway is an important ingredient in my recipe for

SWEET & SOUR RED CABBAGE

2 tbls butter or oil
3/4 cup chopped onions
6 cups thinly sliced red cabbage
3/4 cup apple juice or cider
1/2 tsp salt
Black pepper to taste
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp whole fennel seeds
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/4 cup raisins
3 tbls cider vinegar
1 tbls honey
1 apple, peeled, cored, and diced

Saute onions in oil or butter until lightly browned. Add cabbage & continue to saute for 5-10 minutes. Add rest of ingredients except honey. Cook on low heat, covered, for bout 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cabbage will be greatly reduced in volume.

Cabbage & onions are sweeter the longer they simmer, so taste first and then add the honey and more vinegar if needed.

SWEET-SOUR WHITE CABBAGE

1 head white cabbage, shredded
1 T. salt
2 T. bacon drippings
1/3 c. white vinegar
2-3 T. flour
Flavoring as desired: 2 t. caraway seeds or 2 t. dill

Cook cabbage and salt 20 min. Add bacon drippings, vinegar, flavoring and flour. Cook 10 minutes.


Cabbage

* 8 slices bacon
* 1 large head cabbage, cored and shredded
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon caraway seed
* 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
* 1/2 cup white vinegar, or to taste
* 1/2 cup white sugar, or to taste

1. Lay two slices of bacon across the bottom of a large pot. Cover with a layer of cabbage. Sprinkle a light dusting of flour and a pinch of caraway seed. Season with a little salt and pepper. Repeat layering as many times as possible until you run out of room.
2. Fill the pot with enough water to come about 3/4 up the side. Bring to a boil, and cook for about 45 minutes, or until the cabbage is soft, stirring occasionally. Let cool slightly, then stir in the vinegar and sugar. Use your own judgment. Add sugar carefully to taste. The idea is to strike a balance between the sweet and the sour, and therein lies the trick.