WRAL reporter Brian Shrader and our own Lisa Prince feature seasonal recipes in their weekly Local Dish Cooking segment. This month Brian and Lisa are featuring recipes made with North Carolina cauliflower and cabbage.
The first recipe was provided by Anne Beck of Raleigh. She said it was her grandma’s recipe and she has made it for one person and up to 25. It keeps well and gets better the longer the flavors have to meld. Even Lisa, who admits that raw cauliflower isn’t her favorite, enjoyed this recipe.
- 1 head of cauliflower (cut into bite-size pieces)
- 1⁄2 cup spring onions, diced
- 1⁄2 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1⁄4 cup bacon bits
- Salt and pepper
- 1⁄2 cup sour cream or mayo
Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve.
The next recipe is a comfort food and a great alternative to traditional cabbage recipes. Lisa saw this recipe in the January 2015 issue of Sunset Magazine and it was so good, she to share it when North Carolina cabbage was in season. She suggests changing the cheese to your preference. Look for a Gouda cheese that is light golden or caramel color and aged at least 18 months. She also used panko instead of bread crumbs for the recipe.
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1 small head of Savoy cabbage (cored and cut into 8 wedges)
- 3⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 clove garlic (chopped)
- 1 1⁄2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, plus sprigs
- 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3⁄4 cup shredded, aged Gouda cheese
- 1⁄2 cup panko bread crumbs
Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish (8- by 11-inch) and heat oven to 400 degrees. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saute pan or large frying pan over medium-high heat and add cabbage wedges cut side down. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; cook, turning once, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add ¼ cup water to pan. Partially cover and cook cabbage until it is just tender, 3 to 5 minutes more. Transfer cabbage and any stray leaves to prepared dish, arranging wedges so they lie flat but fit snugly. Return pan to medium heat and melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add garlic; chopped thyme, nutmeg and flour. Stir until thoroughly combined, add cream, and cook, stirring, just until thickened and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Pour cream mixture over cabbage. Top with cheese and bread crumbs. Bake until browned and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs and season to taste with salt and pepper.
This recipe is from Claire Turner and features a slaw that is delicious on a hotdogs and hamburgers.
- 1 medium green cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 1 large pepper (orange, red or yellow, finely chopped)
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1⁄2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
Combine cabbage, sweet onion and pepper in a large bowl. In a small pan combine sugar, vegetable oil, vinegar, salt and celery seed. Bring to a boil and then let cool. Once the marinade is cool, pour the mixture over the slaw. Cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours. You can pour the marinade over the slaw right before serving if you want your slaw to be crisp.
This is a soup recipe provided by WRAL personality Michelle Marsh. This soup has a great nutty flavor and it is stock based versus cream based, which helps with the calories. Serve with French bread.
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large head cauliflower (separated into florets)
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 shallots, minced
- 2 sprigs, of thyme
- 1 quart chicken stock (4 cups)
- 1⁄3 cups grated or shaved Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons pecans, chopped and toasted
- Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oven to 450 degrees and grease a large casserole dish. Place the olive oil and garlic in a large resealable bag. Add cauliflower and shake to mix. Pour into prepared casserole dish, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring halfway through. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. While the cauliflower is roasting, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft. Add the thyme and chicken stock and cook 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove thyme sprigs from the chicken stock. Place cauliflower in a blender or food processor add the chicken stock mixture and blend until smooth. Pour into soup bowls. Top with Parmesan cheese, parsley and pecans.
The next recipe is perfect for an ECU tailgate or Halloween. To get a bright purple color, add ¼-cup heavy cream and a dash of nutmeg 10 minutes before serving.
Purple Cabbage soup with Meatballs
- 1 head of red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced (about 3 ½ cups)
- 16 ounces package of frozen, cooked Italian-style meatballs (thawed)
- 2 medium carrots, sliced into half-moons to make 1 cup
- 2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)
- 7 cups chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons parsley
- 1⁄2 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
Trim leeks and half lengthwise, triple wash and slice into half-moons. In a 3 ½ or 4-quart slow cooker combine thawed meatballs, cabbage, carrots, leeks and chicken broth. Cover and cook on low-setting for 5 to 7 hours or on high-setting for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Garnish with Parmesan cheese and parsley.