Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon

Cabbage picks up a lot of smoky flavor when it cooks in bacon fat, and covering the pan helps it turn silky in just a few minutes. Serve it alongside pork chops, roast chicken or grilled sausages.

Serves 4 · 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• Vegetable or canola oil, if needed
• ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 pound cabbage, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)
• Salt and pepper
• ½ teaspoon stone-ground mustard

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for 6 to 7 minutes, stirring now and then, until golden and crisp. Lift it out with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
2. You want about 2 tablespoons of fat left in the pan. Add a little oil if there's less, or pour off the extra and save it for another day.
3. Cook the onion in the fat for about 2 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
4. Add the cabbage, season with salt and pepper and stir well. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is tender and browned in spots.
5. Turn off the heat. Stir in the mustard, then the bacon, and serve warm.

Adapted from Kay Chun, NYT Cooking.