Last week, I was on vacation with my aunt, staying in a hotel with cable. I love to watch the Food Network as a special treat, because we don't have cable tv at home. A month or so ago, I'd bought some purple cabbage, and played around with it in a saute that was edible, but certainly not a favorite. Then, after I made the salmon with fennel and beets over the summer, fennel has been floating in the back of my mind as an ingredient I'd like to use more of. So when I saw this recipe being demonstrated, I knew I wanted to try it. This is a boring post, because I have no photos, but this nevertheless was attractive when plated.
In my first trip to the grocery store when I got home, I picked up a head of purple cabbage, a granny smith apple, and made sure I had some fresh fennel seed. It sat in the fridge for a couple of days while I decided on good accompaniments, then one day when I knew it was time, but had been out running errands after work, and didn't have anything defrosted from the freezer, I picked up some fresh bratwurst. The seared brown of the sausages and the deep amythest of the cabbage need another complement on the plate, so I decided on some pureed parsnips. Sometimes a challenge to make attractive, with the strong colors I already had in the menu, the creamy parsnips were just right. I cut them into chunks, then covered with leftover turkey stock to cover, and they simmered to tender in just 15 minutes. I poured of some of the cooking broth, and then pureed with the immersion blender. A heap of parsnip (didn't need any other seasonings due to the flavor of the stock) on the plate, topped with the sausage, with a mound of cabbage alongside was a hearty, simple, and tummy-filling meal great for weeknights.
No comments:
Post a Comment