Gratin of Onion and Cabbage

A buttery, bread-crumberly, cheesy baked anything would be good.  As Mark Bittman would say - shoe leather would taste good this way.   I love gratins.

Don't let cabbage fool you - and don't let others fool you about cabbage.  There's a reason it is a vegetable that has lasted the tests of time...  Saute it briefly, to lighten it, but not to expose those nasty sulfurous compounds (sorry - the chemist comes out in me), and you will have a sweet, but toothy-crunchy vegetable full of fiber and nutrition.
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 large cabbage, sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
1 cup shredded carrot
2 cloves garlic
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup half and half
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
dash salt (about 1/4 tsp) and freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg - or equivalent, freshly minced
1 cup grated cheese (mix of Stilton and Canadian Cheddar - or your choice)
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 Tbsp olive oil

Preheat oven to 350F.  Heat oil and butter in a large skillet, and sauté the cabbage, onion, carrot and garlic over medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the veggies soften and begin to sweeten. 

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, half and half, red pepper, salt and nutmeg. Stir in the veggies and then the grated cheese.  Tip veggie mixture into an oiled 1-1/2 quart casserole, and spread out evenly.  In a small bowl, toss together the Parmesan, bread crumbs and oil.  Top the veggies with the crumb mixture.  Bake about 30 minutes, until bubbly and browned.

Serves 4-6 as a side dish.