(recipe from the book Local Flavors used with permission of the author, Deborah Madison)

Serves 4

local-flavors-cover-blogThis tender mess of pale green ribbons flecked with yellow lemon zest is the kind of dish I’d make a meal of with some egg noodles thrown in. But it also makes a delicious bed for monkfish, cod, or wild salmon.

½ small Savoy or other green cabbage
1 large fennel bulb, quartered
1 large leek, white part only
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
juice and zest of 1 Meyer lemon 3 tablespoons chervil or parsley leaves

  1. Cut the cabbage, fennel, and leek into very thin slices and wash. Don’t dry, though.
  2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large, wide skillet. Add the vegetables and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Cover the pan and cook gently for 10 minutes. Check after 5 minutes and make sure there’s a little moisture so that the
    vegetables steam and don’t brown. Meanwhile, simmer the lemon juice in a
    small skillet until only 1 tablespoon remains. Remove from the heat and whisk in
    the remaining butter.
  3. Finely chop the lemon zest with the chervil. Stir half into the butter and add the other half to the vegetables. Toss well, taste for salt, and season with
    pepper.