Potato and Cabbage Soup

1 lb russet potatoes

½ savoy cabbage, chopped

1 yellow onion diced small

2 garlic cloves minced

1 qt chicken or vegetable stock

3 strips of bacon cooked then chopped for garnish

Dice potatoes and place in pot with chicken stock and then bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are cooked through. Then turn off heat and let sit in stock. The potato starch will act as a thickener for the soup.

Cook bacon in cast iron or sauté pan until crisp then remove from pan. Add the diced onion, garlic and cabbage and sauté over medium heat until cabbage is tender and starts to brown on the edges. At this point add a ladle of the potatoes and stock to the pan continue to cook until the liquid is almost dry then add another ladle. Repeat this step until there is a hearty portion in the pan then remove the pan from the heat. 

With an immersion blender or food processor, give the stock and potato pot a couple of pulses to start to break down the potatoes. Don’t over mix because it will work up the potato starch too much. Once you are at a preferred consistency add the cooked vegetables into pot and season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with bacon and serve. 

Northern Italian Fall Pumpkin Soup

1/2 pumpkin (you can roast the other half for addition to another meal)

1/2 savoy cabbage

1 onion

1 tbsp of butter

1 clove of garlic

1 bay leaf

1 sprig rosemary

4 leaves of sage

1 cup of rigatoni pasta (any small pasta type will do)

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

Salt and pepper to taste

Slice the cabbage into thin strips and blanch for 1 minute in boiling, lightly salted water. Drain the cabbage, reserving the water, and immediately immerse it in a bowl of cold water.

Peel the pumpkin and dice into small cubes. Finely chop the sage and rosemary. 
Peel the onion and thinly slice. 

Place butter in a pot. Heat the pot, then add the bay leaf torn in half and the sliced onion. Stir for a couple of minutes to soften the onion. Then add a ladleful of hot water from blanching the cabbage. Stir and stew the onions for a couple of minutes until the water has evaporated.

Then add the pumpkin and peeled, crushed garlic. Season with salt and cook for a minute. Then add the cabbage and stir well. Sauté the vegetables for a couple of minutes, then add enough cabbage cooking water to completely cover the vegetables. Cook for 10 minutes.

Season the soup with salt, then add the pasta.

Cook the pasta for the time indicated on the box. Once cooked serve the soup garnished with the sage, rosemary, black pepper and extra virgin olive oil.

Italian Style Savoy Cabbage

1 pound savoy cabbage

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, halved and cut into very thin rings

2 garlic cloves, minced

½ pint cherry tomatoes, quartered

½ cup chicken stock, or vegetable stock

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter

Pecorino Romano or Parmesan for grating

Remove the core of the cabbage and cut the remaining cabbage into 1/4-inch strips. You should have about 4 firmly packed cups of cabbage strips.

Place the olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the onion rings, and sauté until they start to soften and brown. Add the cabbage and garlic, stirring to blend well. Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan. Add the stock, vinegar, and thyme. Season well with salt and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and cook, covered, for 30 minutes, or until cabbage is softened and flavors are blended.

When ready to serve, stir butter into the cabbage and top with grated cheese.

Indian Style Cabbage and Fennel

3 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp fennel seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 large fennel bulb (1 lb), halved and thinly sliced (4 cups)

1 large onion, halved and sliced into half-moons (2 cups)

½ savoy cabbage

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1 15-oz. can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp garam masala or curry powder

Heat oil in cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add fennel seeds and cumin seeds, and sauté 30 seconds. Add fresh fennel and onion, and season with salt, if desired. Sauté 5 minutes.

Carefully pile cabbage into pan, cover, and cook 15 minutes, or until cabbage has cooked down, stirring often.

Add cayenne pepper, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and cook 20 to 30 minutes, or until vegetables are browned and caramelized.

Stir in chickpeas, lemon juice, and garam masala, and cook 5 minutes more, or until chickpeas are heated through.

Grilled Savoy Cabbage and Sweet Corn Salad

1 head savoy cabbage

1-2 ears sweet corn

1 onion, sliced thin

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil {see notes}

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 clove garlic

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon lime zest

Sea salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

1/4 cup minced cilantro or basil

½ cup crumbled feta

Preheat grill for about 10 minutes.

Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges and remove corn from husks.

In a bowl, place cabbage and corn and drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill vegetables for about 10 minutes turning frequently until a good char is present then remove and place back in the bowl and cover.

Once the vegetables are cool enough to handle, give the cabbage a rough chop. Remove the corn from the cob and remove stem and seeds from pepper and chop. 

Blend or whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, vinegar, garlic, lime juice, lime zest and a heavy pinch of salt and black pepper.

Once the desired taste and consistency is reached with your dressing, toss the grilled vegetables and onions in with the minced herbs. Crumble feta over the top and serve warm.