The Best Sort of Cabbage

Introduction:

This was served in the second course of the Taming of the Shrew event. Another dish that is potentially off-season – the only dishes of “green vegetables” in the April Scappi menus were salads, artichokes, and perhaps, if one really wants to stretch the issue, green sauces and tortes. So this is another area in which I somewhat stretched my sources in order to better suit a modern audience.

Once I decided I needed a green for this course, I found this set of recipes, which struck me as similar to a way I enjoy eating cabbage / kale / other greens in the modern era. The more things change…

Discussion

• Please note that sour orange juice is closer in acidity to lemon juice – you can buy it bottled from a tienda or from Amazon, be careful not to get sour orange juice that’s already been mixed with other ingredients as a marinade. (Often sold as “mojo”, it’s common in certain Latin American / Caribbean cuisines). The bottled juice does often contain grapefruit juice as well, which I decided was acceptable as I’ve seen mixes of sweet orange and grapefruit recommended as a substitute for sour orange as well.
• The ratio of oil to juice should be approximately 50/50 or 70/30, depending on how tart you like your viniagrettes.
• If the kale was freshly blanched, the “pour hot oil over it” would be sufficient for serving it hot – much like a hot bacon dressing modernly. However, since the kale for the feast had been cooled, I heated it on the stove so it would be more than lukewarm.

Stewed Capon with Gooseberries

Servings

4

servings

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb kale, stems removed (if desired) and chopped

• 2 cloves garlic

• Olive oil

• Salt

• Pepper

• Sour orange juice

Directions

• Blanchin salted water with a bit of oil, cool.
• Squeeze out water.
• Before serving, sauté crushed garlic in more olive oil, add orange juice and pepper. Add kale to heat, serve hot.

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