Savoy Cabbage, a quick meal to end a busy week

My daughter and I frequent our local Farmer’s Market twice a week. By far, my favorite farm stall is Dirty Girl Produce and I always head there first. I am never disappointed. They always have an outstanding selection of vegetables and during the summer, the best strawberries. What is so great about their vegetables? Well, not only the variety but the stages in which they are sold. Beautiful tender leeks, young buttery French radishes, the most consistently perfect haricort vert, sweet Lacinato and Russian kales, the gorgeously speckled Castelfranco radicchio, and my all time favorite, the baby Savoy Cabbage. Apparently, this is the week of the baby Savoy Cabbage!

I always buy too many with the dream of making sauerkraut. Every year I say I’m going to make sauerkraut but am daunted by the whole lactic fermentation process. I am almost as afraid of lactic fermentation as I am of zippers. I avoid zippers like the plague and will spend a lot of time and energy altering a design to accommodate a zipper alternative. This year I vow to take the plunge into lactic fermentation and not encourage yet another irrational fear. 

When Friday arrived, I was so tired that the Friday night itch was deeply buried under dark circles and a pile of laundry and mail. And Stella was very hungry but desperately needed a bath. One pot meal, one pot meal… Yes! Cabbage, potatoes, and sausage! This is a favorite Winter time recipe that is usually more thoughtfully executed but in a pinch…

Cabbage Pot

1. 2 red potatoes per person, plus a couple extra for the pot!
2. 1 regular sized Savoy Cabbage (or 2 baby size per person), core removed and quartered
3. Sausage, your choice and you choose how many per person
4. Mustard seeds

• Slice the potatoes in rounds. place on the bottom of your soup pot (I use my terracotta bean pot)
• Layer the cabbage carefully on top of the potatoes
• Sprinkle with mustard seeds
• Add the sausage
• Add two inches of water, cover and simmer for 30-45 minutes
• Check for water regularly, making sure all the water has not evaporated

This can be assembled very quickly. Once started, I could give Stella a nice bath without worrying about dinner. When ready, carefully pull out all the ingredients. Serve with mustard and a nice cold beer!