Smoked Pork with Braised Cabbage

 

Ingredients:

1 / 2 lb plain smoked pork shoulder, coarsely chopped
(from your favorite local barbecue restaurant)
1/2 of a fresh cabbage, coarsely chopped into bite-sized pieces
3-4 Tbsps canola oil (or more)
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
garlic salt or regular salt
black pepper

1. Pick up 1/2 pound of freshly smoked pork shoulder from your favorite
local barbecue restaurant. They will be happy to sell it to you, fresh
and hot from the smoker. Ask them to coarsely chop it and tell them that
you want it plain, with NO barbecue sauce.

2. Remove the core from half of a fresh head of cabbage and chop into
bite-sized pieces.  

3. Chop enough onion to make about one cup.  Pour
a few tablespoons of canola oil in a large, deep, non-stick skillet and
turn heat on medium high.  

4. Add cabbage pieces and onions, stirring
continually.  Add more oil as needed to lightly coat the cabbage.
Do not cover, or cabbage will steam.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cook until the onions are translucent and the cabbage is barely
tender, yet still crunchy and bright green.  
Add the smoked pork. Toss until mixed and heated throughout. Do not overcook your cabbage!

6. Serve immediately with rice, potatoes or any other fresh vegetable.
Serves four.  You can easily double this recipe by using a full pound
of smoked pork, two cups of onions and a whole chopped cabbage.
NOTE: If your smoked pork came directly from the refrigerator, you will
need to heat it thoroughly before adding it to the cabbage and onion
mixture; you can also heat it in the microwave before adding it to the
cabbage and onions.

Serve with a fresh green salad and hot dinner rolls. Incredible!

Comments:
This dish is sort of a vehicle for expression. You can make it vegetarian or add meat and other vegetables to it. Smoked pork on the bone is called Kassler Rippchen. You could cook this seperate or cut it up like
Barb Rokitka, who sent this recipe in to me and here is her comments on the way she likes it.

...One evening a few years ago, I used some smoked pork (leftover from a catered event the night before) a fresh cabbage and some onion to create this simple and delicious dish.  I wanted to cook dinner without going to the store.  Since then, it's become one of my all-time favorites.  The secret to the delicious flavor is to use smoked pork--nothing else will do.