Cabbage is almost as popular on St. Patrick’s Day as green beer! And that’s because cabbage — unlike green beer! — is a quintessential part of Irish cuisine (along with bacon and potatoes).

Tenant farmers in the 17th century relied heavily on cabbage and potatoes to get them through the year. The more prosperous farmers also grew pigs, so they were able to season their vegetables with the pork parts that weren’t needed elsewhere. When the potato famine hit, cabbage became an even more critical food source.

And so on St. Patrick’s Day it’s customary to eat cabbage in some form. And fair enough. It remains one of the most affordable and durable vegetables around, a reliable source of something green in the colder months.

And when paired with its old compatriot bacon, it makes a dish that might be modest in cost and appearance but quite grand in flavor. This would go well with corned beef but also with roasted chicken, salmon, a steak or pretty much anything.

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Simple Beer-Braised Cabbage with Bacon

>> 6 strips bacon, halved crosswise

>> 1 cup chopped yellow onion

>> 1 medium (about 2 pounds) green cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

>> 12-ounce bottle or can beer (any type)

>> Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

Heat a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium. Add bacon and cook until crisp, turning as needed, 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to plate lined with paper towels.

Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat from pan; return it to medium heat. Add onion and saute 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Add cabbage and toss occasionally in the pot for 3 or 4 minutes, until it begins to wilt and is well mixed with the onions.

Add beer and bring to simmer. Partially cover pot, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender and most of the liquid is evaporated. Crumble reserved bacon and stir it into the cabbage. Serve hot or warm. Serves 8.

Approximate nutritional analysis, per serving: 140 calories, 9 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 15 mg cholesterol, 280 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 1 g sugar; 4 g protein