water-sautéed napa cabbage and celery garnished with fresh red pepper and lemon

July 2, 2013 • Nancy Wolfson-Moche

This dish was in response to a request from my daughter.“Why haven’t you been making Napa cabbage for breakfast lately?” she asked. The answer: I hadn’t found any that looked fresh with its signature crinkled green-tipped leaves. Yesterday I found one, and this morning I loved watching my daughter eat it all up.

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serves 2

INgredients

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¼ head of Napa cabbage

2 stalks celery

2-3 slices of fresh red pepper

½ lemon

a pinch of sea salt, coarse or fine

Process 

Remove 5-6 of the cabbage’s outer leaves, and wash them well.

Wash the celery and red pepper.

Slice the cabbage into thin strips.

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Slice the celery into medium-sized “c’s”.

Slice the red pepper into fine rounds.

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Pour water into a medium sized skillet, until the water it is about 1 inch high. Add a pinch of sea salt and bring to a boil on a medium flame.

When it boils, immerse the Napa cabbage in the water until it turns a brighter, more vivid color. This should take about one minute. Add the celery.

Let the celery and cabbage cook together for another minute or so.

Use a mesh skimmer to remove both the cabbage and the celery.

Arrange the cabbage and celery on a plate.

Top with sliced raw red pepper.

Right before eating, squeeze lemon on top.

Icing on the Cake: Testimonials

I’m very impressed by all the elements you are able to pack into the lesson without it seeming at all overwhelming: the review, the actual cooking skills, the creativity of coming up with their own dishes, the chance to present their creations, the opportunity to learn about and share thoughts on something else (in last week’s case, the feelings represented in the book), the execution of their  jobs, the responsibility for one’s station/implements and the overall following of directions…..all without losing the fun quotient. No wonder the kids love coming!  You’ve really created something special so kudos to you!

- T.