It seems like apples have been multiplying in my refrigerator. While others might decide to bake apple pie, I prefer to use them in a savory dish. While a chicken roasted in the oven unassisted by me, I was free to mull over the possibilities. What would you do with them?
I cut off an inch of bacon from my treasure chest of freezer gems and looked into the refrigerator for some kind of leafy green to accompany it. Then I realized that I had bought a new head of cabbage, while another older one had been waiting for its turn. Yes, the cabbage would be perfect for combining with the apples and bacon. Now that I am writing this, I wonder how it might have worked out as a salad. Maybe I will try that next!
Am I old fashioned for putting a trio on my dinner plate? A variety of colors and textures appeals to me, so here’s how it often works out. I made a huge pot of this cabbage with apples, so it could have been a meal in itself. Nothing wrong with leftovers for later. We did, in fact, enjoy it for days!
Cabbage With Apples
- bacon
- onion
- cabbage
- rosemary
- apples
After browning the chopped bacon in a large pot, I discarded most of the grease before adding some chopped onion. Once that had softened, I added the chopped cabbage and some dried rosemary. Why? It seemed to me like a good match for everything that was going on here: the chicken and bacon and fruit…And indeed it was! What else might you try? I added the apples near the end of cooking the cabbage because I didn’t want them to become overly soft. Michael isn’t a huge fan of cooked fruit. I just wanted everything to be pleasingly tender. Poke around with a fork to see when it’s right for you.
Because of the bacon, this dish didn’t even require much salt. I love cabbage to begin with, but the apples, rosemary and bacon gave it so much additional flavor. It was a party for the taste buds. I’m just saying, if you are having trouble getting others in your household to eat vegetables such as cabbage, try it with a savory, sweet and herbal component. Vegetables, like people, enjoy being well dressed. So experiment with different ingredients and see what appeals to your family.
Yams
As for the yams: after cutting them into wedges, I sprinkled them with Herbs de Provence and put them into the roasting pan with the chicken during the last half hour of cooking. While the finished chicken rested, I put the yams under the broiler for a minute to get a touch more color.
After talking to a friend the other day, I realized how many of you still think it’s a big deal to roast a chicken. She said, “That’s a lot of work. You have to brine it. You have to season it…” Well, it’s true that you can get very creative and do all kinds of things with it, but it’s not really necessary. If you’re still not confident in roasting a chicken, trust me when I say it’s just about the easiest thing ever. Read Don’t Be Chicken next.