Same Ingredients, Two Recipes #1: White Wine Braised Cabbage with White Beans and Potatoes)

One of the complaints people sometimes have about joining a CSA is that you need to eat a lot of the same foods over and over again. I'm posting two recipes (one now, one tomorrow) with very similar ingredients, but that are totally different experiences.

This is my favorite pasta dish, but I've replaced the pasta with potatoes. It's simple. It's local (except the spices, mustard, and olive oil). And it's the almost the exact same thing I ate two nights ago.

But it's not. Two nights before I had this it was hot. I didn't want to cook. The night I made this it was cold and rainy, and this dish warmed me up. Amazing what a change of spices and a change of technique will do for you.

White Wine Braised Cabbage with White Beans and Potatoes
I've been making this for so long (the pasta version, anyway), I've forgotten exactly where it comes from...Mark Bittman, maybe?


8 oz potatoes, thinly sliced into half moons
2 T olive oil, divided
1 T butter,
1 medium onion, sliced into thin half moons
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t dried thyme
1 1/2 c cooked white beans (or 1-15 oz can)
1/4 of a small head of cabbage, thinly shredded
1/3 c dry white wine
1 t whole grain mustard
salt
freshly ground black pepper
grated cheese, optional (I used aged cheddar, but Parmesan or another hard cheese would work nicely)

Heat the 1 T of the olive oil and the butter in a large, heavy cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the potato slices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and beginning to brown. Remove them from the skillet and set aside.

Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet, then the onion and garlic. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and add the thyme by crushing it between your fingertips before adding it. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until the onion is beginning to soften.

Add the beans, and cook until the beans begin to brown a bit. Add the cabbage and turn the heat up to medium high. Cook, stirring frequently, for a few minutes until the cabbage is taking on a bit of color. Add the wine, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. Stir in the mustard. Taste to adjust the seasoning.

Serves 2