Red Cabbage and Silky Leeks

This dish has a little sweet and sour element, and the leeks take on a silky texture while the cabbage is cooked only enough to render it no longer raw. Use as a side dish or under something like seared salmon or halibut that has a crisp surface over the tender flaky fish.

INGREDIENTS:

1 small red cabbage/6 heaping cups, cored and sliced 3/16^th inch wide

4-5 medium (thumb thick at least) leeks-white and palest green parts only, split and cleaned, cut into 2½ inches x 3/16^th strips

2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves or 1 sprig oregano*

¼ cup dry white wine

½ cup light vegetable or leek tops stock, or water

Salt and pepper to taste

1 scant teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons white wine or white balsamic vinegar

Grape seed or other neutral flavored oil as needed

METHOD:

Heat a 3-quart chef’s pan with a tight fitting lid over medium heat. Coat the pan bottom well with oil and when it is hot, add the strips of leeks. Toss to coat and gently sauté a few minutes until they start to wilt. Lower the heat and add the thyme or oregano and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cover and cook without coloring the leeks until quite soft, but not melting.

Add as much cabbage as will fit without spilling, and use tongs to turn the cabbage to coat with leeks and oil. Cover the pan. Cook until cabbage wilts enough to accept more cabbage if it didn’t all fit the first time. As soon as it is all in, add the wine and toss to coat. Cook until most of the wine has evaporated. Scatter sugar over the vegetables and turn using tongs to mix in the sugar to everything else. Drizzle the vinegar over everything and turn. Add the stock and cook, uncovered, turning with tongs frequently. You want the cabbage to wilt but still retain some crunch, while the leeks become silky and do not color. This should take 5 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, taste and make any adjustments necessary. Remove the herb sprigs and serve.

Chef’s Notes: * The usual length of herb bunches from the store tend to run around 2½-inches, long while the oregano from High Ground can be 2-3 times that long, hence the reduction in herb quantity for oregano.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen