What to do with Cabbage

So as it is CSA season, I frequently end up with one particular vegetable piling up over a couple of weeks. It isn't that I don't like Cabbage, it is more that it is one of the few early summer veggies that will last a while in the fridge and the majority of my favorite recipes for cabbage are really hot more wintry fare. Eventually I get too much of it and something must be done!

So whenever I have a vegetable without a dish I spend some quality time flipping through cookbooks for ideas. One struck my fancy for cabbage. Cabbage Gratin from Deborah Madison's Vegetarian Cooking for everyone. After I made it, I decided it was a true winner... unfortunately I don't have any good pictures because we ate it too fast! The end result is a nutty almost broccoli frittata flavor ( not surprising considering they are the same family). Next time I might try a higher ratio of cream/milk to egg so that it is creamier, but that would just be for the sake of experimentation... the casserole was gorgeous as it was.

Butter and freshly grated Parmesan for the dish
1 1/2 pounds cabbage ( I used a mix of green varieties) diced into 2 inch squares
1/3 cup flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup creme fraiche or cream ( I used some butter since I had neither on hand)
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
3 eggs
3 tb parsley
salt and pepper
I also tossed in some ground mustard and some leftover cheddar

Preheat the oven to 375. Butter the dish and coat with parmesan. Boil cabbage for 5 minutes in salted water. drain pressing out as much water as possible. Whisk remaining ingredients together and then add cabbage. Bake for 50 minutes until firm and lightly brown.