For an autumnal evening

I was minding my own business (like always), walking down the street on my way to my favourite new coffee shop, when I noticed these huge, fresh green cabbages going for $2 a piece. This, my friends, is the essence of eating local (read: seasonal, fresh and cheap). So I scooped one up, took it home, named it Stan, and decided to cook up a classic dish: Sausages and cabbage.

But mine would be a much lighter meal than the norm, using turkey sausages (not sure if you’ve noticed but I don’t cook with pork in my house – not sure if it’s for cultural or religious reasons – let’s just chalk it up to good old fashioned Jewish guilt). The sausages I usually buy have just 130 calories each, and when coupled with this delicious cabbage braise, it all adds up to a belly full of goodness with what must be fewer calories than a Lean Cuisine.

An authentic addition to the cabbage would be caraway seeds, and I would have added them if I didn’t think they were a blight on humanity. Substituting the water with some nice Riesling or even ale would be delicious, but I didn’t have any on hand. So, long story short, I’d say this is the perfect meal for a lovely autumn evening.

Quickly braised cabbage with turkey sausages

(serves 4)

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cooking onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 McIntosh apples, cored and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

2 lb green or red cabbage, cored and shredded

1/2 cup water

2 tbsp cider vinegar

2 tbsp maple syrup

salt and pepper to taste

4 turkey sausages (or your favourite type of sausage)

In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Saute onion and apples for a few minutes until they begin to soften. Add the cabbage and water. Cook for 5 minutes until it begins to wilt. Stir in the vinegar, maple syrup, salt, and pepper and cook for 20 minutes until the cabbage is soft, stirring occasionally. Within the last 10 minutes, poke sausages with fork and cook in a pan until they’re nicely browned. Serve over the bed of braised cabbage.

It's rapini week!

In honour of those of us who have plans to eat a little healthier in 2009, this recipe officially launches RAPINI WEEK at the National Nosh.

Rapini (aka Broccoli Rabe) is one of my favourite wintertime vegetables.

Packed with vitamins A and C and a good source of calcium to boot; though its inherent bitterness may be off-putting to some (its kissing cousins to the cabbage and turnip), this leafy green is versatile enough to play well with others.

Here's a tasty pasta recipe to ease you in.

SPICY TURKEY SAUSAGE, RAPINI, PEAS AND PENNE WITH GARLICKY CRUMBS

(serves 2)

Ingredients:

1/2 lb (about 2 cups) dried penne

2 links hot Italian turkey sausage

1/2 bunch rapini; tough stems discarded, rapini washed, dried and cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 Tbsp pesto (tip: I keep a small Tupperware of the stuff in the freezer and scoop as needed)

1/4 cup dry white wine (or a splash of Vermouth if you don't want to open a bottle)

pinch of sugar

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp course salt

1/4 cup breadcrumbs

fresh cracked pepper

Method:

1. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. While pasta is cooking, squeeze sausage from casings into a large heavy skillet and saute over moderate heat, stirring to break up the chunks, until no longer pink and slightly caramelized (about 5 minutes.) Add rapini, saute with sausage for a few minutes more, then add frozen peas, pesto, wine and pinch of sugar. Cook for a couple minutes more.

2. In a small frying pan heat the olive oil. Add garlic through a garlic press, or rasped, or finely minced. Add salt and breadcrumbs. Cook together with garlic oil until toasty brown.

3. Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Add rapini and sausage mixture, heat through and dish it out. Sprinkle each serving with a generous amount of the toasted breadcrumbs and a few grinds of black pepper.