Braised Cabbage with Bacon (Polish Kapusta)

Our Kapusta recipe transforms simple cabbage into a flavourful Polish side dish that is studded with bacon. Kapusta is not so much the name of a dish as it is the name of the main ingredient. You see, in Polish, 'kapusta' means 'cabbage'. So, to say there is only one way to prepare authentic, Polish kapusta, would be like saying that there is only one way to prepare black eyed peas in the Southern United States. Or, like saying there is only one way to prepare green peas in England. It's just silly. Kapusta can be thick, like mashed potatoes, or runny, like a soup. It could be thickened with flour, or not. It could be seasoned with paprika, or bay, or dill, or sugar, or just simply kosher or sea salt and pepper. It could include tomatoes, potatoes, mushrooms, onions, or some form of pork. You're starting to get the picture. Kapusta doesn't even have to start off with cabbage. Well, it doesn't actually have to start off with fresh cabbage. Some cooks use sauerkraut as the base for their kapusta, while others use a mixture of half sauerkraut and half fresh cabbage. The real confusion comes in because, while each of these preparations may have their own proper (long) name, (kapusta kiszona, for example, is the actual Polish term for sauerkraut), it is quite common to hear all of them simply referred to as 'kapusta'.

2 oz (3-4 strips) bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
½ small head cabbage (roughly 1 lb), shredded
2 Tbsp. water
¼ tsp. kosher or sea salt
⅛ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

Sauté the diced bacon in a medium sauté pan with a lid, over medium high heat, 2-3 minutes.

Add the diced onions. Sauté for 3-5 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and the onions are golden. (At this point, if there is a lot of fat in the pan from the bacon, drain some off, leaving just enough bacon grease to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.)

Add the garlic and continue to sauté for 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.

Add the shredded cabbage and water. Cover the pot and simmer for 7-10 minutes, until the cabbage has softened.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the kosher or sea salt and pepper. Taste your kapusta, and adjust the seasonings as desired.

Serve with polish sausage or pierogies.

Makes 4-6 servings.