Normally, I am used to cooking according to the Ligurian tradition, which abounds in fish-based dishes and predominantly uses oil, a quick sauté and that’s it.
I also adore more indulgent dishes, rich in cheese, bacon, or butter. Honestly, who hasn’t been the star in my recipe book are the vegetables that rarely make an appearance from the fridge.
Over time, however, I started to get passionate about seasonal recipes, even vegetarian or vegetable-based ones, so I experimented with pumpkin risottos, legume soups, pasta with broccoli, and many other tasty and never banal preparations.
Now in the winter season, cabbage and savoy cabbage reign supreme, so I decided to prepare a dish based on these vegetables enriched by a tasty and delicious sausage.
The result was wonderful and the family gave a standing ovation, I am honest, I didn’t think a cabbage would give me so much satisfaction.
In this very easy cabbage with sausage recipe in a skillet, we will follow a cooking procedure that will give the cabbage a delicate sweet and sour flavor, similar to sauerkraut, then sauté it, season it, and finally stew it until it becomes tender and slightly golden.
The result will be a sweet and sour side dish perfect to accompany pork sausages: the cabbage lightens the pork which, in turn, flavors the cabbage.
Serve it hot with a little mustard and accompany it with toasted bread or polenta croutons, and it will become a tasty and substantial unique dish ideal in winter when the temperatures drop outside.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 45 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 28 oz savoy cabbage
- 4 sausages (pork)
- 3 tbsp vinegar (white)
Tools
- Skillet
- Pot
Steps
Wash the cabbage then with a mandoline or a sharp knife cut it into very thin strips.
Put a large pot filled halfway with water on the heat and bring it to a boil.
When it boils, add the vinegar then the cabbage and blanch it for 5 minutes.
Drain it, immediately run it under cold water, then place it in a colander for about 20 minutes to remove excess water.
Pour the extra virgin olive oil into a skillet, heat it then add the cabbage and let it season for a couple of minutes.
At this point, adjust salt and pepper, drizzle with a little hot vegetable broth, and continue cooking with the lid on low heat for about 20 minutes.
Increase the heat, add the honey, stir, and continue cooking for another 20 minutes on low heat, still covered, until it becomes tender and has reached a golden color.
Turn off the heat and let rest for 10 minutes.
Cut the sausage in half or if it is a whole sausage, divide it into pieces of about 2.5 inches, and season them with a few fresh marjoram leaves.
Heat a grill pan on the stove over high heat, as soon as it reaches temperature, roast the sausages, turning them often.
Now the sausage is ready to be sautéed in the skillet with the cabbage so that the flavors blend perfectly, it will only take 2/3 minutes over high heat.
Plate and serve your cabbage with sausage in a skillet hot, optionally accompanied by some mustard.
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STORAGE
Once ready, the cabbage with sausage in a skillet should be consumed immediately, hot. If you have leftovers, you can keep it in the refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 1 day.
NOTES
The procedure of this recipe gives the cabbage a delicate sweet and sour flavor similar to that of sauerkraut obtained through lactic fermentation.
For this preparation, I recommend using luganega, a variety of sausage typical mainly in Northern Italy.
Make sure to choose a very fresh cabbage: the head should be firm, and the leaves compact.
If you prefer a spicy note, add a fresh chili pepper chopped into pieces during the cabbage cooking.
