Food Preparation for Recovery from Surgery

[MaryIsobel]

8 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Thanks, @Smithy.

 

The cabbage I bought is huge, 5 lbs at least. It will be good for more than one batch.

 

So far I have prepared and lightly cooked sliced onion, garlic, sliced celery, cubed potato, gorgeous bacon. I haven't sliced the cabbage yet, because I don't want to slice it then leave it uncooked.

 

So I'm only missing the sauce.

 

(I'm not good at making sauces!)

 

 

If you like coleslaw, I sometimes make this to use up the rest of a cabbage that is languishing: https://www.daringgourmet.com/freezer-slaw/

 

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, TdeV said:

The current dish I'm trying to design involves cabbage.  I've collected half dozen or so recipes.

 

The sauces are made of:

• evaporated milk, flour, parmesan, breadcrumbs
• milk, flour, cheddar, sour cream
• French demi-glace
• cream cheese and mustard
• potatoes and Gruyère

 

I think if the dish gets too complicated, it loses something. Seems the sauce could be simpler. Maybe I don't know how to make a sauce?

Very smart to avoid over complicating things! Which makes me wonder why (aside from the presence of a 5 lb cabbage) you want to combine 6 new-to-you recipes into a newly designed and untested creation at what seems like a rather stressful time. Maybe this is a fun activity to keep your mind off of the stress?  If so, great. 
If not, I’m wondering why you’re not leaning into the sameness and freezing batches of old favorites. 

[Darienne]

10 hours ago, blue_dolphin said:

Very smart to avoid over complicating things! Which makes me wonder why (aside from the presence of a 5 lb cabbage) you want to combine 6 new-to-you recipes into a newly designed and untested creation at what seems like a rather stressful time. Maybe this is a fun activity to keep your mind off of the stress?  If so, great. 
If not, I’m wondering why you’re not leaning into the sameness and freezing batches of old favorites. 

And for that matter, tossing a cabbage certainly would not put a dent in your fiances.  No one throws out food lightly but it could be excused this once.

[Tropicalsenior]

I'm not much of a cooked cabbage fan either but I made this Braised Pork and Cabbage recipe the other day and it was delicious. I didn't have fresh dill so I used dried and since I made a small batch I didn't cook at the full hour in the oven. We really enjoyed it and I will make it again.

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, Darienne said:

And for that matter, tossing a cabbage certainly would not put a dent in your fiances.  No one throws out food lightly but it could be excused this once.

Heck, I’m pretty sure I’ve had cabbages that lasted two months in the fridge so it could outlast the recovery period entirely 🙃

 

36 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I'm not much of a cooked cabbage fan either but I made this Braised Pork and Cabbage recipe the other day and it was delicious. I didn't have fresh dill so I used dried and since I made a small batch I didn't cook at the full hour in the oven. We really enjoyed it and I will make it again.

 That sounds very amenable to freezing, too!

[Smithy]

38 minutes ago, Tropicalsenior said:

I'm not much of a cooked cabbage fan either but I made this Braised Pork and Cabbage recipe the other day and it was delicious. I didn't have fresh dill so I used dried and since I made a small batch I didn't cook at the full hour in the oven. We really enjoyed it and I will make it again.

 

That does look good. I wonder how it would fare if frozen and then thawed and reheated sometime during the recovery from surgery?

 

Edited to add: @blue_dolphin, you and I posted at the same time, so I'll ask you why you think it would be amenable. (I may try it myself!)

Edited yesterday at 02:27 PM by Smithy (log)

[blue_dolphin]

7 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

That does look good. I wonder how it would fare if frozen and then thawed and reheated sometime during the recovery from surgery?

 

Edited to add: @blue_dolphin, you and I posted at the same time, so I'll ask you why you think it would be amenable. (I may try it myself!)

Well, I figured the cabbage may give off some liquid when it thaws, but if it could be reheated on the stovetop, it could easily be reduced back down. I’ve frozen things with chunks of cooked pork that didn’t suffer too much so it seemed promising to me. Just a hunch. 
 

Edited to add that I’ve mostly frozen cabbage in soups. Seems the worst that could happen is that it would be soup after thawing but a nice soup, at least!

 

 

Edited yesterday at 02:35 PM by blue_dolphin (log)

[ElsieD]

I recently made "cabbage roll soup".  It made quite a bit such that I was able to freeze two meals of it.  We have eaten one and I can't say i noticed any deterioration in the cabbage.

[Darienne]

21 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

Heck, I’m pretty sure I’ve had cabbages that lasted two months in the fridge so it could outlast the recovery period entirely 🙃

 

 That sounds very amenable to freezing, too!

You are so right.  As we speak I've got a cabbage in the fridge, still edible as soon as I trim it, which is older than I want to admit publicly.    

[TdeV]

15 hours ago, Smithy said:

There are recipes also for braised cabbage, with or without chicken. If that appeals, I'll post the one I have. It takes the dish into the acidic region thanks to vinegar.

 

Yes, please!

[Smithy]

6 hours ago, TdeV said:

 

Yes, please!

 

This is a paraphrase of Mario Batali's Molto Italiano (eG-friendly Amazon.com link). The recipe name is Red Cabbage Braised in Vinegar (p.424) and I have a note on it that it's "Excellent!" although I confess I'd forgotten all about it.

 

Cut a medium head of red cabbage into 1/2" strips. Thinly slice a medium red onion. Saute the onion and 2T caraway seeds in hot olive oil until the onion is soft. Add the cabbage, 2T sugar, and 1/2c red vinegar; stir; cover, and cook until the cabbage is tender. He says that's about 20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. He says it can be eaten warm or cool. I have no idea how well it would take to being frozen.