Creole cabbage

Credit belongs where it is due. This recipe is ripped off from Threadgill's, one of Austin, Texas' best old eateries.

6 slices bacon, diced
2 cups yellow onions, diced
4 cups tomatoes, diced
1 head green cabbage, cut into 1 1/4-inch squares
4 cups tomato sauce
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

SAUTE DICED BACON, add onion, and continue cooking. Add all other ingredients and bring to a boil, stirring to avoid scorching. Turn down to a simmer and stew until cabbage is done, about 1 hour. Makes 10 big servings.

Good additions for meat lovers: Sausage of any kind, anchovies, beef of any kind. If you want to substitute better fat for worse, fry the bacon crisp first, separate from the grease, then crumble and use an olive-oil base. Some extra garlic also goes well with this, plus any additional chile peppers, according to taste. Italian-style parsley is good if you can get it. Creole-style seasoned salt also subs well for plain salt.

Emeril Lagasse recommends a bottle of beer instead of the water, plus a couple of bay leaves, and his "essence" instead of the Creole seasoning.

A dusting of appropriate spices, like celery seed and sage, won't hurt this either. -- mj