Irish Baked Cabbage with Bacon

This is a classic Irish combination.

3/4 pound bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2 inch wide strips
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pound cabbage, quartered, thinly sliced
1 large leek, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups whole wheat bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375*. Place bacon in a heavy large pot, then over a medium-high heat. Saute the bacon until fat begins to render and bacon begins to brown for about 12 minutes. Add cabbage and leek, cook until it wilts for about 10 minutes. Add water and bring to boil. Cover the pot and reduce heat to medium. Simmer the cabbage until it is tender, for about 15 minutes. Uncover the pot and turn up the heat to boil out the liquid. Stir often to keep it from scorching. After about 10 minutes, add the parsley and green onion. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat. Place mixture in a 9 inch glass pie pan.

Melt butter in your heavy pot over a medium low heat. Add bread crumbs and stir until crisp for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle cooked bread crumbs over cabbage in pie pan and bake for about 10 or until your cabbage with bacon is hot.

6 side dish servings