It’s Saint Patrick’s Day “season” where once a year everybody channels their inner Irish, wears green and partakes of Corned Beef and Cabbage. We put on this year’s broadcast of “A Quiet Man”—seemingly the definitive movie about Ireland starring that famous “Irish” actor John Wayne—and enjoy our celebration.
But how many of us actually like cooked cabbage? Let’s get a bit more specific, how many of us like cabbage that has been boiled…and boiled…and boiled until it’s this soggy mass of pale green nearly void of both texture and taste? It seems as though we suffer through it once a year to go along with the theme of the day and then wash it down with an obligatory green beer.
Mrs. CB turned me on to a different way of cooking cabbage that retains some “crunch” and a bit of flavor and doesn’t slither down your throat when you swallow. She fries it, and we have found that the wok is the perfect utensil to use to make this quick, easy and (best of all) cheap dish to go along with St. Patricks Day Corned Beef. Actually, this recipe has opened up the possibilities of cooking cabbage more than just once a year.
Recipe: St. Patrick’s Day Fried Cabbage
Summary: Here’s an easy, quick and tasty way to cook and serve cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day or any other day.
Ingredients
- 1 Head Green Cabbage
- 1 cup Onion chopped
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- Salt
- Garlic
- Pepper
- 2 tbsp Vinegar (Wine or Cider)
Instructions
- Get out your wok and cutting board and a big bowl.
- Chop the onion and toss it in the bowl
- Chop the cabbage into 2-3 inch (approximate) squares. Peel the layers of cabbage apart and put it loose into the big bowl.
- Heat wok to medium-high on the stove and add the oil.
- Add the cabbage and onions and start to stir/toss everything like you’re tossing a salad.
- After each toss, let it sit for about 30 seconds and then toss again.
- Add the salt, pepper and garlic. Then add the vinegar.
- Within 2-3 minutes the cabbage will start to reduce down as the water in the cabbage cooks out.
- When it’s reduced by about half, but still green and with crunch, remove the wok from the stove.
- Serve with corned beef or smoked sausage or even by itself.
Preparation time: 5 minute(s)
Cooking time: 10 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 6
That’s about as easy a dish to make as you can get, isn’t it? It’s quick and simple and actually pretty tasty.
When Irish eyes are smiling, you don’t have to eat gloppy cabbage. But you can enjoy your Corned Beef and Cabbage and the “wearin’ ‘o the green” with a tastier version of this classic dish.
The Cheap Bastid Test: The cabbage weighed about 3 lbs and was $.49 a pound—call it $1.50. I used about $.15 worth of onion. So the total is maybe $1.75 for all the ingredients. It takes about 15 minutes and the odor of boiling cabbage doesn’t permeate your kitchen.
That’s the Cheap Bastid Way: Eat Good. Eat Cheap. Be Grateful!
Grammy makes fried cabbage, with bacon!! Nummy!!!
I like cabbage anyway you can make it, but I love it fried. I fry mine with onion, corned beef, smoked sausage and/or hamburger is good with it. Sometimes I add a little cheese to the mix. Love the idea of vinegar will have to try that. I’ve used vinegar in my green beans, mixed greens of any kind while cooking for years. Love your recipes! Thanks for sharing.
This sounds amazing! I may be able to finally eat and enjoy the cabbage this year!
Thanks so much for the recipe!
Fried cabbage is fantastic – I cook with the bacon and onion, for a extra treat add some cream cheese to it. Absolutly yummy !!!