Some vegetables are trendy, like fennel and watercress. And some are not. Guess which category cabbage falls into? Even Brussels sprouts, which have more enemies than fans, have an earthy cachet that endears them to chefs. But cabbage?

In the past I’ve primarily used cabbage in two dishes, both of which seem more at home in the 20th century than the 21st. The first is coleslaw, which is as summery and down-home as it comes. The second is stuffed cabbage, which my Polish grandmother made and, I’m happy to say, I still do, following a recipe I captured one afternoon while she was making them. We talked, she cooked (without a recipe) and I trailed behind, measuring ingredients and recording her technique.

Since cabbage is a staple in my winter share, I realized I had a choice to make: Continue to serve the same two dishes or risk an uprising at my table. I chose the latter so, with winter holding sway over my mood, I devised this comforting side dish. It may not be trendy (hey, it’s cabbage) but it’s perfect for February. And as anyone who knows anything about Eastern European cooking can tell, my heritage definitely informed this recipe. No one uses brown butter better than the Polish.

Click here to read the recipe: Cabbage with Brown Butter & Toasted Bread Crumbs