I confess there’s still Napa cabbage from weeks past in our basement refrigerator. Instead of trying to cook a whole one at once, I’ve taken to just peeling off leaves as needed for a recipe. So the recipe below will probably only use 4 or 5 leaves. The rest of that cabbage will go back in the refrigerator and be joined by this week’s cousin. But that means we’ll have beautiful cabbage to enjoy through the rest of 2023. No complaints here.
~Conne
Ingredients:
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, peeled and halved 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 6), sliced into 1/8-inch-thick strips Kosher salt and black pepper 1/2 pound tender mushrooms, stemmed and broken into large clusters 2 cups Napa cabbage, chopped into 2-inch pieces 1 daikon, peeled, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick 3 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced 1/4 cup ponzu 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Preparation:
In a large Dutch oven, combine broth, garlic and ginger. Season chicken with salt and pepper and add to pot. Bring to a boil over high, skimming the foam and fat that rises to the top and discarding it. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, occasionally stirring and skimming, until foam no longer appears in the broth, about 5 minutes.
Add mushrooms, cabbage, daikon, scallions and carrot to the pot, arranging them in sections, and season with salt. Cover and simmer over medium to medium-low heat (maintain a good simmer, but do not boil) until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Discard ginger. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ponzu and sesame oil and mix well. Divide donabe among four bowls. Drizzle with some of the ponzu sauce and serve warm.