green with a twist - cabbage hash for St. Patrick's Day

Corned beef and the fixings is really a dish that cooks itself with very little fuss. This year, why not take a little extra time with some of the side dishes, making them extra-special and delicious as well as nutritious?
This colorful, tasty and different Cabbage Hash is inspired by a recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks, "Vegetarian Planet" by Didi Emmons. The original dish is called "Little Cabbage Hash" referring to the use of Brussels sprouts as the main ingredient instead of cabbage. As expected, cabbage works perfectly in this recipe as well. Try it for something different this St. Patrick's Day, or any time you're in the mood for a simple but easy vegetable side dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-1/2 cups minced onions
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb. cabbage, thinly shredded or chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped in small pieces
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 red or orange bell pepper, minced and seeded
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

Saute onion in olive oil until soft. Add garlic, cabbage, and carrot to the onions.
Add water and simmer the vegetables, stirring occasionally, about 5 to 8 minutes, or until water is completely evaporated (watch carefully to avoid burning dry).
Then stir in bell pepper, salt and black pepper to taste.
Saute one more minute and serve.

sunday dinner redux - love on a plate with a twist 2 - labor day edition

Chet Atkins' Coleslaw
Planning on grilling this weekend for the big "end-of-summer" Labor Day cookout? What could be a more perfect side dish than cool, crisp coleslaw?
This is reportedly the coleslaw recipe of the guitar great Chet Atkins, published in the awesome "Dinah Shore Cookbook" (yes.. Dinah Shore) which I scored in my favorite resale/consignment shop. It is one of my all-time favorites; a vinegar-and-oil-based recipe with just the right touch of sweetness. The original recipe does not include onion, but I do like a bit of onion added to the slaw. I also use real apple cider vinegar in place of the recipe's original white vinegar; it's probably just me but I equate white vinegar with pickle-making and house-cleaning. Heh.

For best results, let this blend for about an hour before serving with your masterpiece of the grill.

7 to 8 cups shredded cabbage (or a 14 oz. bag of pre-packaged coleslaw mix)
1/2 cup shredded carrots (if not using the coleslaw mix
1 tablespoon finely minced onion (more if you like)

For the Dressing:
Scant 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I've used light olive oil with good results as well)
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon sugar (I added the extra teaspoon of sugar because the apple cider vinegar is quite piquant!)
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard (like Coleman's)
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce, more or less to your taste (I like Tabasco's green sauce made with jalapenos)
1/2 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Thoroughly whisk together the dressing ingredients (the dry mustard will want to clump a bit; just keep whisking it until dissolved). Add dressing to the cabbage, carrots and onions; refrigerate for around an hour before serving.

Serves 4 to 6, depending on how much you like coleslaw!