Everyone in my family likes vegetables and eat them as a matter of course. Praise be to Jesus 😀 Naturally, they have their individual favorites and preparation styles. All of them love my German style cabbage and ask for it from time to time. Today I decided to get them off their knees and to the table with cabbage and German butcher, house smoked pork chops.
During the Ethiopian-Eritrean War, my son and I were evacuated to Ireland for 6 months; chosen because there was a good private French school in Dublin and my husband still has family there. The dairy products (butter, cheese, cream, ice cream) were some of the best we’ve every had and we always highly ranked Ireland along side France for superior diary products. But today I reluctantly admitted, after using Kerry Gold Butter last year and since I’ve been back, that the import we find here is not a patch on French butter! Maybe not even the French President butter brand. Gasp! How is that possible?
For lunch today, I spread some Kerry Gold on a very nice piece of onion rye bread to accompany my cabbage, and while not offensive, the Irish butter just didn’t have that grass fed, butter fat, richness that I recall from our stay. Perhaps we weren’t eating the Kerry Gold brand in Dublin (I don’t remember) or maybe they are not exporting their “Grade A” to the States. For whatever reason, I’m disappointed 🙁 I’ll probably need to consider getting rid of my Irish husband and terrier now. Maybe not the dog 😀
I don’t know why everyone calls this cabbage red. It looks purple to me until it’s cooked. But I could be color blind.
Needless to say I had no lardons, but I did have some bacon ends that I bought last year in good shape in the freezer. Bacon ends are not lardons, although they did have some lardons-ish pieces included in the bag.
The bacon ends are fattier and need to be rendered to get rid of some of the excess fat.
I used my Paula I-Call-A-Spade-A-Spade Deen deep skillet. It has become one of my favorites 🙂
Go ahead. Eat this with buttered bread and don’t feel guilty. Have cake afterward 😀
German Style Cabbage with Bacon Ends
1 cup bacon ends, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 medium small head of purple cabbage, shredded
3-4 sprigs fresh oregano
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons water
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Using a wok or a large, deep skillet, brown and render the fat from the bacon ends. Remove all the rendered fat except for 1 tbsp, add the tbsp of olive oil and the onion. Cook the onion until soft. Add the shredded cabbage and fresh oregano, then stir fry for 3-4 minutes.
Mix together the vinegar, sugar, water, mustard, salt and pepper, then stir into the skillet, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Roasted Smoked Pork Chops
2 tbsp butter
6 smoked, thick and fully cooked pork chops
Preheat the oven to 400 F. Melt the butter in a roasting pan, then add the pork chops. Roast for 15 minutes on each side.
I do love that little pig and those smoked chops look fantastic 🙂
Thank you Mad. I’m glad that pig is here. Keeps my spirits up 🙂
Mine too 🙂
Oohhhh! Butter, lardons and then cake – I like your thinking.
Die happy is what I always say 😉
your pig gives his blessings to your eating of his brethren! so cute. I need that cabbage and some smoked pork chops now. have you ever tried making your own butter from homemade creme fraiche? it’s the best, plus you get real cultured buttermilk as a bonus! I make mine in a food processor; some use a Kitchen Aid stand mixer, but I find the food processor neater. it takes about 6-10 minutes (depending on a LOT of factors, including your cream’s fat content) to beat the creme fraiche into butter. be sure to chill the creme fraiche first, and to rinse the butter curds clean with ice water before compressing into a ball or sticks.
Hi deedle, Fat content seems to be the problem in the States; it’s lower than in Europe and a lot of the products even remove the little there is: “reduced fat” “low fat”. I wouldn’t rely on the creme fraiche here anymore than I rely on the butter. But thank you for the idea of making butter in the food processor. That’s an interesting idea to try when I get back to France.
I’m sure you’re right about the fat content (I hate “reduced fat” foods and consider “fat free half & half” a crime against humanity). however, I make my own creme fraiche with organic cream, and the process of making the butter naturally separates out the butterfat anyway. I get a really good yield from most good, organic cream. let me know if you ever try it!
Great idea to add the bacon!
Its always a great idea to add bacon 😉
I wish I was there! That looks so good 🙂
Thank you Marie.
Haha the little pig is so cute! Great dish 🙂
Thank you Mary.
You’ve had such a fascinating life. I love reading about it.
Dear good lord yes!