2.05.2013

Linguine with Creamy Red Cabbage and Corn

I can hardly complain about this winter so far; other than a freezing cold that has gripped the Northeast, New York has had little snow or rain to mention.  Nevertheless, I feel like I would give damn-near anything for a peach straight from the farm right now.  Don't we all feel that way this time of year?

So, as you can imagine, I struggle with my menu in February.  No more potatoes!  No more soups!  No more root vegetables at all!  Even...dare I say it?...no more Brussels sprouts!!!!  But how do I freshen up my dishes without buying, say, asparagus that's completely out of season?

When I saw a recipe for Egg Noodles with Creamy Red Cabbage and Sweet Corn in my Edible Brooklyn: The Cookbook (from the Edible Brooklyn magazine folks), I thought it would be perfect.  And what an interesting combination with pasta, right?  Actually, this whole cookbook is amazing; it's quickly becoming one of my go-to books.  Anyway, it's obviously not corn season in New York right now but I have no problem substituting with frozen corn in the winter months - frozen in the off-season is much better than fresh in the off-season, to my mind.

This recipe is, in a word, fantastic.  It mixes the sweet with the salty, and the red wine vinegar rounds it all out with a tart acidity.  The pasta gives the dish a heartiness you want in winter, but the corn is such a welcome change from the usual cold-weather fare.  To quote Adam, "this recipe's a keeper."



LINGUINE WITH CREAMY RED CABBAGE AND CORN

Adapted only slightly from Edible Brooklyn: The Cookbook, edited by Rachel Wharton

Serves 4-6

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 medium head red cabbage, cored and sliced into 1/2-inch strips
1 tbsp salt
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 lb fresh linguine
1 cup crème fraîche (or sour cream)
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and garlic, and cook for a few minutes until the onion is softened but the garlic is not yet golden.

2. Add the cabbage and salt, and cook for 3-4 minutes; do not let the vegetables brown.  Add the vinegar and sugar, cover the pot, reduce to a gentle simmer, and cook for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Taste the cabbage - it should be tender but not mushy.  Adjust the salt, vinegar, and sugar to taste if needed, and set the cabbage aside.

3. In a large skillet, melt the butter and sauté the corn over high heat until it begins to caramelize.  Remove from heat and set aside.

4. Cook the pasta according to package directions (about 3 minutes for fresh pasta), reserve 1 cup of the pasta water, and drain.  In a large bowl, combine the pasta, corn, red cabbage, and crème fraîche.  Thin sauce with pasta water, if needed.  Let sit for 3-5 mintues to allow the pasta to soak up the sauce.  Serve in warmed bowls.  Top with pepper to taste.

KID-FRIENDLINESS NOTE: This dish is fairly adaptable for kids.  I reserved some corn and pasta in a bowl, tossed them with some crème fraîche, and Bug was perfectly happy to eat it.  She probably would have gone for the cabbage as well but, with the onions in there, she would have been scared off so I left those out of her bowl.

NOTE: The cookbook was given to me by the publisher.


This will absolutely be a recurring dish in our house.  In addition, to the unique mix of flavors, the colors are simple gorgeous - a sure way to cheer you up on a dreary winter evening.




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