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Health & Fitness

Braised cabbage with Maytag Bleu Cheese mini burgers with sautéed Crimini mushrooms.

Braised Cabbage with Maytag Bleu Cheese Mini Burgers with Sautéed Crimini Mushrooms

I was recently asked, if you could pick between your two favorite components bleu cheese and chocolate what would you choose? I immediately chose chocolate. I love chocolate. I love chocolate in savory, and of course, sweet applications. Chocolate is the definition of who I am. These days as a chef, rarely do I ever get cravings but if and when I do, it always seems as though chocolate is my choice.

There are many instances however when bleu cheese takes the leading role. This recipe is the case. I do love bleu cheese. I love bleu cheese with steak. I love bleu cheese with steak and mushrooms! I grew up almost thirty miles from the Mecca of American bleu cheese, Newton, Iowa, the home of Maytag Bleu cheese.

Braised cabbage with Maytag Bleu Cheese mini burgers with sautéed Crimini mushrooms

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1 head of green cabbage-shredded
8-slabs of bacon
4-cloves of garlic-minced
1-red onion-julienned
1 ½ cup Sherry wine
½ cup red wine vinegar
2 cups crumbled Maytag Bleu Cheese crumbles

In a large saucepot render the fat from the bacon on medium high heat. When the bacon is crispy, add the red onion and garlic with a pinch of sea salt and give it a few stirs using a high heat spatula or wooden spoon.

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When the onions have become translucent, 4-5 minutes remove the saucepot from the heat and add in the sherry wine. (Please, I’m begging you. Remove from the heat first and then add the wine. If you value your eyebrows, and you should, please remove from the heat. Repeat after me, FLAMMABLE ITEMS NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM FLAMES!) Flames are cool in professional kitchens but remember, professional kitchens are coated with stainless steel just as bin Laden’s Pakistani layer was coated in gross! Too soon???

Let’s continue. Once the sherry wine has been added, return the saucepot to the heat, add the red wine vinegar, and using a wooden spoon or high heat spatula, clean the saucepot of any “fond” that has accumulated at the bottom.

Reduce the heat from medium high to medium low and slap on the lid. After a half an hour, remove the lid and taste. Depending on how well you have shredded your cabbage, it should be nice and tender by now. If the cabbage is still firm, your shred is too big. Not to worry! Add another ¼ cup of water, slap the lid back on and let the cabbage braise for another 15 minutes. When the cabbage has thoroughly cooked in the Sherry wine steam bath, turn the heat off and fold in the crumbled Maytag bleu cheese.

Sauté the Crimini Mushrooms

6-oz of Crimini mushrooms thinly sliced from head to toe
3-clove of garlic, minced
2-oz Olive oil

In a sauté pan, sweat the garlic in the olive oil on medium heat. When the garlic has turned a caramel color add the mushrooms and sauté until the mushrooms have cooked through; about three minutes. At this point, remove the mushrooms from the heat.

To plate, toast the bread of choice. I used mini brioche buns because of their inherent sweetness due to the egg used in making brioche bread and I suggest you do the same.

When you have successfully cooked your 2.5-ounce mini burgers to a nice medium rare internal temperature, place a spoonful of the braised cabbage on the base of the mini brioche buns. On top of the braised cabbage goes the mini burger. When the burger is in place, add a small spoonful of the sautéed mushrooms to the top of the burger. Now you’re ready for one of food’s greatest little treasures.

You could also do this in the form of an 8-oz burger but I prefer the smaller portions of the minis. As you have probably guessed by now, I don’t eat like most people. I prefer smaller bits of flavorful foods and rarely choose big portions. But that’s just me. This recipe gives you the option of doing both.

Buen Provecho!

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