Ingredients:
3 slices of white bread, cut into ½ inch cubes
6 tbsp. duck or goose fat
7 oz streaky bacon, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 garlic clove
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
salt & freshly ground pepper
1 Savoy cabbage, thick ribs removed and leaves sliced
½ head radicchio, thinly sliced
7 oz Cashel Blue cheese, or other, crumbled
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. To make croutons, toss the bread cubes in 2 tbsp. of duck or goose fat and bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, tossing and turning frequently until they are golden brown and crusty. To make the dressing, sauté the bacon pieces in 2 tbsp. of duck or goose fat in a large frying pan over moderate heat until the bacon is beginning to crisp nicely. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon, add the garlic and let it fry gently for 1 minute.
Remove from the heat and carefully add the wine vinegar. Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any caramelized juices. Taste the hot dressing for salt and add some freshly ground black pepper.
To wilt the cabbage, heat a very large frying pan with the remaining duck or goose fat over a moderate heat. Add the cabbage all at once. Cook, stirring, for about 1-½ minutes until the cabbage has wilted. Tip into a large bowl.
To serve, combine radicchio, bacon, cheese and croutons with the warm cabbage and toss with the dressing of red wine and juices. Spoon some of the mixture into a 4 inch biscuit cutter or cooking ring and press down slightly until the cabbage mixture forms a neat shape. Carefully remove the ring. Repeat with all the cabbage and arrange the cabbage rings on warmed plates. Serve at once.
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