Creative Cooking

When I got home from Montreal late Tuesday evening, I looked in the fridge and saw two rutabagas, some leeks and carrots, and half a cabbage. I did what any sensible person would do: closed the door and went to bed.

The next evening, however, I came home from work determined to make a delicious meal.

I gently cooked the sliced leeks in olive oil until tender, then added some chopped garlic, basil and the last tomato from our garden. I stirred in some white lima beans I had pressure-cooked, sprinkled some salt and pepper, and let it simmer. A squeeze of lemon juice before serving finished the provençal-inspired main course.

On the side I served mashed rutabagas, just like mashed potatoes but orange and fluffier. Normally I would have used half potatoes and half rutabagas, but we had no potatoes.

Then I cooked my mainstay cabbage recipe, one I got from my friend Queenie years ago in Montreal. Its bright yellow color cheers the plate and the light cooking makes many of the nutrients more available to the body. Best of all, it cooks on the back burner while I'm making the rest of the meal. If I'm not ready for it, I turn off the heat and let it sit until I need it. It reheats well.

I often make this simple recipe even simpler. I throw the mustard seeds in hot oil. When they pop I add the cabbage, salt and tumeric and toss until the cabbage is well-coated. I then let it cook until it's done. But I recommend you try the full recipe for the real Indian flavor. If you like to make curries, this is an excellent side dish along with the dal. But that's a story for another day.

Queenie's Spiced Cabbage
1 small cabbage, processed or cut fine
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbsp oil
1 tbsp black mustard seeds
1/4 tsp tumeric
1 green chili, split in half
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the mustard seeds. When you hear them starting to pop, add the onion, tumeric and chili. Stir for about 1 minute.

Add the cabbage and salt to taste.

Set the heat to medium-low. Cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serves 4.