Sausage and Cabbage Casserole

Mom didn't like cooked cabbage, but I really enjoy
this casserole, especially on a cold winter's day.

Rick and Terri during a rare
snowfall on the Peninsula

Sausage and Cabbage Casserole

1 large Savoy cabbage (about 2 pounds)

1 pound sweet or mild Italian pork sausage

2 Tbs butter, cut into small pieces

(plus more for buttering casserole)

Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Lightly butter a deep 2-1/2 quart casserole dish (preferably glass, with a lid). Cut cabbage in half and slice off of core, then chop slices roughly. Discard core.

Turn oven to 300°F. Place cabbage in boiling water, cover, and let water come back to the boil. Uncover and boil for 3 minutes. Drain cabbage in a colander and run cold water over it to stop cooking.

Put about 1/3 of the cabbage in buttered dish and cover with 1/2 the meat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with half the butter. Repeat, ending with a final layer of cabbage. Press layers together gently, and dot top with remaining butter.

Cover* dish and bake for 2-1/2 hours total, uncovering for the 30 minutes (If there is not much moisture in the bottom of the casserole after two hours, only leave uncovered for the last 15 minutes).

*If you do not have a covered casserole dish, cover dish tightly with foil, but try to avoid having the foil touch the top layer.