Braised cabbage with onions

I love cabbage. I would probably be happy eating it about 7 times a day, but luckily I manage to restrain myself. There's something about its simplicity and versatility that draws me in. Boiled? Steamed? Roasted? Braised? Sure! They all work beautifully. And cabbage can blend beautifully with a myriad of flavors.

I was ecstatic to have a beautiful head of cabbage in my possession (ok, I'm exaggerating a little...), and turned to one of the cookbooks of the month for a new recipe.

Braised cabbage with onions (adapted from "Vegetables Every Day" by Jack Bishop)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 onion, sliced thinly

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 head of green cabbage (yes, this means another cabbage recipe later in the week!)

salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup chicken or veggie stock

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Cut the half-head of cabbage into 4 pieces, then slice into strips (1/2 - 1" thick). Heat oil over medium heat in large skillet or dutch oven. Add onions and cook until they begin to brown (about 8 min). Add garlic and cook an additional minute. Add cabbage, salt, and pepper, cover and cook until cabbage begins to wilt (about 5 min). Add stock, recover, and continue to cook until cabbage is tender (about 10 min). Remove cover and simmer for a few minutes until any excess liquid evaporates. Stir in vinegar. Serves 3.

Balsamic vinegar is one of my favorite pairings with cabbage, so of course I loved this. It's simple, but has a lot more flavor than most cabbage because it absorbs a lot of the chicken stock yumminess. Toasted pine nuts and raisins would be a great addition to this dish, and I wish I had thought of that while I was cooking it. Oh well, I'm sure I'll be making this again!