Kitchen gardens were common in Dutch towns and cities in the Middle Ages. The most common crops grown included cabbage, leeks, onions, celery and parsley. Many medieval recipes teamed cabbage with leeks, onions and herbs and I'm continuing that tradition with this vitamin C-packed side dish. I've used pointed cabbage (also called Chinese cabbage in English, and spitskool in Dutch) because it is sweeter than regular cabbage and requires less time to cook.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: Serves 4 as a side dish.
Ingredients:
- 5 slices streaky bacon
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 red onion, in rings
- 2 leeks, in rings
- 1 pointed cabbage (Chinese cabbage), finely sliced
- 1 tbsp finely chopped curly parsley
- Salt & pepper
Preparation:
In a dry frying pan cook the bacon strips until crispy. Remove and allow to drain on kitchen paper.
Add 1 tbsp butter to the bacon fat in the frying pan, along with the onion and leeks. Cook gently over a medium-low heat until soft and translucent. Add the cabbage, and cook until tender, stirring regularly (about 5 mins). Mix through remaining butter and season to taste.
Place the cooked vegetables in a serving plate, crumble the crispy bacon over the dish and scatter with finely chopped parsley. Serve as a side with chicken or pork.
