This is a fantastic side dish, and is also de rigueur for ringing in the New Year. By tradition, your New Year's Day meal must contain Blackeyed Peas for luck and cabbage for money in the coming year. Let's hope this dish puts money in your pocket, in addition to a smile on your face. It's insanely good.
- 1 package bacon, 12-16 ounces (I like Benton's, Nueske's or Niman Ranch, but Oscar Meyer will do fine)
- 1 large sweet onion, sliced
- 1 head of cabbage
- 1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- Juice of 1/2 large lemon
- 1 ounce cider vinegar
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Cut the bacon into 1/2" pieces and place in a large pot. Cook over medium heat until crispy, then remove bacon and put aside. Reserve all the resultant bacon fat.
Cut the onion from pole to pole, cut off stem and root ends and slice the onion. Cook the onion in the bacon fat until it's translucent and tender. Add the apple and cook until tender.
Quarter, core and coarsely shred the cabbage. Add to the pot and toss with the onions and fat until coated. Add lemon juice, vinegar and allspice. Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, then uncover, add bacon, toss again to mix and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook a minute or two more until the cabbage is barely tender. Eat, moan with pleasure and make some money this year.
YIELD: 6-8 servings
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