Cabbage and Cooked Ham Braised in a Skillet. A simple yet delicious dish from rural cuisine, perfect as a main dish or a rich side.
During this period, cabbage is an end-of-season product and is sold at a very affordable price, better take advantage of it and prepare an excellent braised cabbage with added potatoes and cooked ham!
In this recipe, besides cabbage, there are also potatoes and cooked ham, so more than a side dish, we can consider it a real main dish full of flavor and perfect for the winter season!
Perfect to serve as a side dish or as a main dish, in different doses of course!
It’s an extraordinarily easy recipe and will take very little of your time.
We start by blanching the cabbage in a large pot of lightly salted water, after cleaning and cutting it into strips.
At the same time as the cabbage, we also cook the potatoes, which we will have cut into uniform cubes.
Meanwhile, in a non-stick pan, we prepare a robust sauté: we heat a generous amount of extra virgin olive oil with a minced garlic clove, to which we will immediately add the diced cooked ham to brown it.
I used cooked ham but bacon or speck is also fine
When the vegetables are cooked, we carefully drain them and transfer them to the pan to “sauté” and flavor them properly.
At this point, to give a final touch to our side dish, I add a generous pinch of ground pepper. A vigorous stir and our Cabbage is ready to be enjoyed!
But let’s move on to the complete recipe.
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 232.42 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 26.24 (g) of which sugars 3.65 (g)
- Proteins 9.06 (g)
- Fat 11.78 (g) of which saturated 2.32 (g)of which unsaturated 1.26 (g)
- Fibers 6.27 (g)
- Sodium 901.10 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 260 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
Cabbage and Cooked Ham Braised in a Skillet
- 2.2 lbs savoy cabbage
- 2 potatoes
- 1 clove garlic
- 3.5 oz cooked ham (diced or sweet bacon)
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- chili pepper (to taste)
Tools
- Pot
- Skillet
Steps
Cabbage and Cooked Ham Braised in a Skillet
First, remove the tougher outer leaves from the cabbage.
Cut the cabbage into pieces and place them in a large bowl.
Wash it very well.
Bring water to a boil in a large pot and in the meantime peel the potatoes and cut them into slices about 1/4 inch thick.
When the water boils, add salt and start boiling the cabbage, adding it a little at a time to fit it all.
Now add the potatoes, placing them on top of the cabbage.
Cover with the lid and cook for about 10/12 minutes, stirring slightly occasionally.
Meanwhile, prepare the essentials for cooking in a skillet.
In a skillet, pour a generous amount of olive oil and let it heat, then add the garlic and let it sauté.
If preferred, you can leave the garlic whole and remove it once browned.
Add the diced cooked ham and let it brown.
When the potatoes are soft, we can drain everything directly into the skillet.
Now braise our cabbage: let it flavor in the skillet, stirring, for 5-6 minutes, letting the potatoes crumble.
The braised cabbage in the skillet is finally ready!
Serve it hot and enjoy it, perhaps accompanied by some crunchy toasted bread slices.”
Bon appétit!
Tips
If you used cooked ham (leaner than bacon), you can add a small piece of butter along with the oil and onion (or garlic) at the beginning. This will give a more enveloping and rustic flavor.
A pinch or a piece of fresh or dried chili pepper in the initial sauté adds a spicy touch that balances the sweetness of the potatoes.
If you want … Add a bay leaf or some sage leaves during the braising phase for a more complex aroma.
Once the vegetables are braised and tender, remove the lid and increase the flame for the last 5 minutes. Let the excess water evaporate and let the cabbage and potatoes “re-pass” or lightly brown to achieve a less soupy and more flavorful consistency.
A generous sprinkle of grated Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino (depending on your taste) at the moment of serving transforms the dish into exceptional comfort food.
Served with hot polenta or sausages (if you want a classic and rich pairing) it becomes a hearty single dish.
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