Napa Cabbage with Warmed Bacon Dressing

by 
Bonnie Bissonette, Produce Buyer, Weavers Way Mt. Airy

Ingredients

  • 1 Napa cabbage, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (you’ll need 6-8 cups)
  • 8 thick slices of bacon, cut into small strips
  • 1 tbsp. flour
  • 2 tbsp. red wine or cider vinegar
  • ½ cup plus 2 tbsp. water
  • ¾ tsp. salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten

Place the cabbage in a large mixing bowl. Add bacon to a medium sauté pan and brown over medium heat, adjusting the heat as needed. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with a paper towel, then pour off all but two tablespoons bacon fat (approximately) from the pan. Set the extra fat aside.

Set the pan over medium low heat; add the flour and stir until smooth. Cook for one minute. Stir in the vinegar and water and bring to a boil. Season with salt. Gradually whisk the egg into the mixture.

Sprinkle the bacon on the cabbage, then pour ¾ of the dressing over the cabbage and toss to mix. Add reserved bacon fat and more dressing as desired. Serve with roasted potatoes, a protein of choice, and perhaps a beer.