Beer & Molasses Braised Purple Cabbage with Onions
Cabbage, cabbage, cabbage. I really do love cabbage. Every once in a while I buy too many heads and then forget about one. This has never been a problem since they seem to go strong in the fridge for a month. Maybe even months? I've never tried that but I wouldn't put it past cabbage to still be delicious and amazing.
I found a small head of red cabbage on one of the rainy days that the Bay Area seems to be getting as of late. When in doubt I tend to braise and let the leaves soak up all manner of yumminess that I've opted to put into the braising liquid.
I recently saw a cookbook that used beef stock and molasses to braise some kind of meat and my mind began whirring. Molasses? Really? It's not my favorite (black licorice = gross as far as I am concerned) but there seemed to be something compelling about using it as an accent to a dish.
I thought that beer would be a nice addition as it is very bitter and cuts through the sweetness of the molasses. I know that I have something good on my hands when I keep making the dish even though I don't need to test it anymore….
INGREDIENTS
1 small-medium head of purple cabbage cut into 8 wedges
4 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 large onion, saute slice
1 ½ tsp salt, divided
12 oz beer, preferably a dark ale
2 Tbsp molasses
1 bay leaf
5 sprigs of thyme
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
DIRECTIONS
Heat a large saute pan or wide soup pot over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp of olive oil. Once warm add the cabbage, cut side down. Sprinkle on a little salt and cook for 5-6 minutes, until the cabbage is browned. Flip and repeat on the remaining cut side. Once both sides are browned, remove cabbage and set aside.
In the same pan add the remaining 2 Tbsp of oil, onion and ½ tsp of salt. Stir and cover. Cook for 10-12 minutes until the onion softens and begins to brown.
Add the beer, molasses, bay leaf, thyme and the remaining 1 tsp of salt. Add in the cabbage, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Continue to cook for 20-25 minutes until cabbage is tender. You may wish to flip halfway through to ensure even cooking.
Once tender, remove the cabbage from the pan and transfer to a serving platter.
Turn the heat up to high and add the butter. Cook the remaining liquid and onions until syrupy, 1-2 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings. Drizzle over cabbage and garnish with parsley.
Serves 6-8
NOTES
Serve with beans or on top of crusty bread.
This will keep for 5-7 days in the fridge.