Fried Cabbage, Sausage, Onion, and Tomatoes

Simple, but tasty! The slight sweetness of the tomatoes pair with savory, earthy notes in the garlic and onion, and ties in nicely with the cabbage for a combination reminiscent of the flavors in a cabbage roll. Frying releases less of the sulfurous gasses long boiling can cause. The smoked sausage (Vargr used kielbasa) rounds it all out for a hearty, satisfying dish!

And a very fugal meal it is, too! (Local prices in USD) A head of cabbage is under 1$. The onions, garlic, butter, oil, and spices are barely another $1. A pound of kielbasa and a tin of diced tomatoes are each about $2. Total price: ~ $6 for a meal that will easily provide 6-8 portions. That’s under $1 a serving! Very tough to top that savings.

Only caveat is, you need to enjoy the flavor of cabbage.

Oh, by the way, DO NOT throw out the “juice” that remains in the bottom of your pan. It is HEAVENLY! Vargr is looking for ideas on ways to increase the amount of this nectar, and perhaps even make a soup of it. Sop it up with a thick piece of crusty bread for a real treat!

Ingredients:
½ stick Butter
1-2 Tbs Olive Oil
1 small head of Cabbage
1 medium Onion, diced small
1 lb (or more if desired) smoked Sausage (kielbasa), sliced into ½ inch segments
2-3 cloves (~1 Tbs) minced Garlic
1 tsp Fennel Seeds
1 can Diced Tomatoes with juice
½ tsp Omnivore Salt
½ tsp Ground Black Pepper
More salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Strip the thick outer leaves from the head of cabbage. Core the cabbage, and chop/shred it into ¼ inch or smaller shreds.

In a large skilled or sauté pan, heat the butter and oil until hot. Add the shredded cabbage and diced onions. Sprinkle on the fennel seeds. Season with ½ tsp of Omnivore Salt and ground black Pepper. Fry until onions are translucent and cabbage is tender-crisp.

Add minced garlic and continue to fry for another couple minutes.

Add can diced tomatoes with juice, and the sliced smoked sausage. Stir together.

Reduce heat to medium high. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until flavors combine and all is warmed together. (If you like your cabbage more tender, cook longer). If desired, add a little (~ 1/3 C) water to steam and make more ‘juice’.

Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired.

Makes 6-8 servings, depending on size of cabbage.