Pork and Cabbage in Milk

This is kind of a strange dish. We liked how the cabbage and bacon added a nice flavor to everything without either overpowering the dish, but it wasn't great. It was good. This is something to add to the mix in the fall or winter months that is hearty and tasty, but not as heavy as a stew or roast.


Pork and Cabbage in milk
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 boneless pork loins (1-inch thick, fat trimmed)
coarse salt and pepper
4 strips bacon, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch slices
1/2 head green cabbage, cored an cut into 4 wedges
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups whole milk

1. Preheat ove to 400 and set a large roasting pot over high heat on burner, add oil to pot. Season pork with salt and pepper; brown each side - 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add bacon; cook until golden, about 5 minutes stirring often. Add onion; cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until light golden, about 6 minutes. Flip and cook until slightly tender, about 3 more minutes. Add flour 1 tablespoon at a time to 2 cups of milk in a bowl, stir each tablespoon with whisk until blended. Add milk and flour mixture to pot and cook until thickened for 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then return pork loins to pot (with any juices.) Transfer pot to oven and bake until pork is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage

It's Saint Patrick's Day so I decided to do the traditional thing and make some corned beef and cabbage. The following recipe is a better version than most, as it leaves the cabbage separate from the main crock pot, giving the cabbage a more independent taste when combined with the corned beef and other vegetables when served.

This year I found an excellent brand of corned beef. Our local Market Square grocer carried a trim corned beef made by a Detroit company from Eastern Market -- Wigleys Famous Eastern Market Corned Beef. They have been in business since 1920, first in Ireland and then here in the U.S. Visit Wigleys at either of their Eastern Market locations: 3405 Russell St., Detroit, 48207, 313-833-3030; or 1429 Gratiot Ave., Detroit, 313-567-2857. This was by far the most tender and trim corned beef I've ever had. It is really worth seeking out. The whole family was impressed and said it was the best they have ever had too.

Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage
Serves 6

3 carrots, cut in 3 inch pieces
3 red potatoes, cut in 3 inch pieces
2 med. onions, quartered
3 to 4 lb. corned beef brisket
3/4 to 1 1/4 c. water
1 sm. head cabbage, cut in wedges

Put all ingredients, except cabbage wedges, in crock pot in order listed. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours (high 5-6 hours).

Cabbage: To prepare cabbage, cook it separately in 6 quart pot. Remove 2 cups of broth from crock pot during last hour of cooking; pour over cabbage wedges in skillet. Cover and cook slowly for 20 to 30 minutes.