Yet another thing to do with red cabbage

Sunday Nov. 14

While we dining at Liz and Justin's, Liz showed us the Olives and Oranges cookbook by Sara Jenkins, and what do you know - there was another recipe that used red cabbage. We scribbled it down on a sticky, and cooked it the next night.

Pasta with Bacon, Red Cabbage, Toasted Walnuts, and Rosemary

1/2 T unsalted butter

1/4 c. walnuts, chopped (we would have used pecans but we were out, so we used cashews. So sue us.)

1 T fresh rosemary, chopped

4 slices bacon, chopped up (we used applewood-smoked, for extra...something)

ca. 3/4 pounds red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

1/2 t salt

1/2 c heavy cream

1 c grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (or crumbs)

1/2 pound bucatini

parsley for garnish

salt & pepper to taste

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once melted, add chopped walnuts and fresh rosemary and cook and stir until the walnuts are toasted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Start boiling water for spaghetti or bucatini; put the pasta in however long before everything is done that it takes to cook. Do I make myself obscure?

Brown bacon in a biggish pan over medium-low heat. Add cabbage and salt and cook until wilted, about 8-10 minutes. Add wine, cream, and walnuts and cook for a minute. The recipe then adds about a half cup of water, which is nuts, because you then reduce it until you might as well have not added the water. Come on, just thicken the cream until it's saucelike, about 10 minutes. Finally, you add the bacon and most of the cheese, then toss the pasta in and move it about until thoroughly mixed. Add more cheese and parsley and salt and pepper. It's surprisingly good.

And then, the next day, Holt had to fly away - but he'll soon be back for the other Thanksgiving.