The trick in cooking broccoli is never to let it boil; the heads, which are the best part, are fragile and break apart in actively boiling water. Put broccoli in boiling salted water and when the water returns to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer the vegetable very gently. Broccoli is done when it sinks to the bottom of the pan. I believe the most important trick with broccoli is in the draining, especially of the water inside the tops which never seems to come out in just a colander. Place the stalks on a hot towel or napkin to absorb surplus water. None is left to make the serving dish untidy or to dilute the accompanying saute. Broccoli is like asparagus in that it can be served with many types of sauces, and each one seems to be a perfect complement. For instance, polonaise with its buttery crunchiness, hollandaise with its smooth delicacy, and vinaigrette with its penetrating piquancy are all so different, yet each one is excellent with broccoli.
In cooking cabbage, I have discovered that parboiling and then plunging it in cold water before cooking is a trick that insures easy digestion. When I was once a week-end guest, I suggested I cook some cabbage as it is done in France. I was intrigued with the idea myself because it had been many, many years since I had picked cabbage in a kitchen garden and brought it into the kitchen myself to prepare it. When I came back with four small heads, everyone thought I was crazy. For three people! Mow much did I think they could eat? Well, I got my host to drive to the village and get me some salt pork and a garlic sausage and I prepared the cabbage as we always did in France when serving it with duck. When I went through the parboiling, or blanching, stage, they tried to hide their surprise, but when I said I would cook it for an hour to an hour and a half, they were shocked. Although too polite to say so, they never dreamed they would eat more than a few mouthfuls.
Of course, every speck of it was eaten, as I knew it would be, and no one suffered any digestive discomfort. I was also pretty sure of that, even though the amount I prepared would ordinarily serve six. The fact that I was invited back to repeat the dinner and that now braised cabbage is a favorite autumn dish in that house speak for themselves.
If roast partridge or pheasant is substituted for duck in this recipe, it is called perdrix or faisan aux choux or perdrix or faisan en chartreuse. When using pheasant or partridge, the bird is roasted until brown and then placed in a pan and cooked with the cabbage until tender, or for about an hour.
Braised Cabbage with Duck
Cut 2 large or 4 small heads of cabbage in quarters and remove the hard center core. Clean in plenty of water. Put the cabbage into boiling water and parboil for 5 to 10 minutes, remove, and plunge it in a large pan of cold water. After 2 or 3 minutes, transfer it to a colander to drain. Parboil 1/2 pound fat salt pork to remove some of the salt and drain it.
In a large saucepan put 2 carrots, 1 or 2 onions, 2 cloves of garlic, and at faggot made by tying together 2 stalks of celery, 3 Sprigs of parsley, a bay leaf, and a little thyme. Add any poultry bones, wingtips, or neck, on hand. Add the salt pork and a garlic sausage and place the well-drained cabbage on top. Season with freshly ground pepper and a little salt and pour on enough white stock or water to cover well. Cover the cabbage with a piece of buttered paper the size of the pan with a 1/2-inch hole in the center, bring to a boil, and put the pan in a hot oven (400° F.). Or cook it gently on top of the range. Test with a fork after 1 hour and continue cooking, if not tender. Small potatoes may be added during the last 1/2 hour.
Carve the roasted duck, cut in slices, and lay these on the cabbage to reheat. This improves the flavor of the vegetable. To serve, arrange the cabbage with the slices of duck, garlic sausage, and carrot on a large serving dish. The liquor drained from the cabbage can be served as soup.
Stuffed cabbage or cabbage leaves is a tasty dish and an economical one because a little leftover meat goes such a long way. But I am told that it is difficult to make a dish that looks attractive because the cabbage falls apart during cooking. One reason for this may be because the filling is too moist and soft. It should be fairly firm, the moisture that makes the cabbage succulent coming from the sauce. The other reason may be because the cabbage is filled so full in the center that the outside leaves are not strong enough to hold it. Put the filling between the leaves, tie the cabbage firmly, and you will have no trouble. Here are the details:
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