Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage

Cabbage is such a sadly under-loved vegetable - I feel like I only ever hear bad things about my dear friend the cabbage.  The truth is, cabbage is extremely nutritious and dirt cheap, plus it lasts forever in your fridge so if you buy one you won't have to eat it every day for a week (unless you are like me and you love cabbage!).

  I picked up a nice big green cabbage from MacArthur Farms in Holliston, MA, for only two bucks.  I had been craving mashed potatoes with cabbage for a very long time.  The crunchy, garlicky greens add great texture and flavor to plain mashed potatoes (and the bacon bits don't hurt either!).  I usually eat this all on its own, but it's a great and filling side dish as well.  I hope you enjoy this one.  It's also a great way to sneak healthy greens and fiber to picky eaters.

Mashed Potatoes with Cabbage
makes two very generous servings, or four side dishes

1/4 large cabbage
four slices of bacon cut into 1/4 inch bits
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
5 small potatoes, roughly cut (leave the skin on for more nutrients)
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste

Put the potatoes in a large pot and fill with water until just covering.  Bring water to a boil and let simmer for 15-20 minutes or until done.  Keep your eye on them and stick a fork into them to check - when they are done they shouldn't be mushy and soft but they should offer a slight resistance when poked with a fork.

Meanwhile, rinse the cabbage and remove any damaged/withered outer leaves.  I sometimes discard the outer leaves because they can be very tough.  Using a heavy knife, cut the cabbage in half.  Cut again into quarters.  Remove the stem in the center - you can actually eat this but I prefer not to since there are others in my household who actually enjoy eating this part of the cabbage (I find it to be kind of bitter and too hard).  Cut the quarters in half again and then cut vertically into slivers, roughly 1/4 inch wide.  It should look like the pre-cut mix you can buy to make coleslaw.

Cook the bacon on medium high heat in a large skillet.  You want the bacon to be nice and crispy so keep cooking it until the fat starts to brown.  Remove from the skillet with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl.

Turn the heat down and let the oil cool for a few minutes.  Your potatoes are probably done at this point so drain them and put them in a large bowl with the butter and milk.  Add some salt and pepper.

Add the garlic to the bacon fat and cook for around a minute (it will smell very garlicky).  Add the cabbage and saute for around 5 minutes (try not to overcook - my very sophisticated way of telling when the cabbage is done is to taste it constantly). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Now all you have to do is mash your potatoes and then serve with cabbage and bacon bits on top.  If you want the cabbage to be more subtle, cut it into smaller pieces and boil it very quickly (about 5 minutes) instead of sauteing, and then mix it straight into the potatoes.