Pomegranate Skillet Cabbage with Bacon and Parmesan

This side dish is loaded with tender cubes of winter squash baked with smoky bacon and melted cheese. Pomegranate arils add a pop of sweet acidic flavor that balances the richness of the other ingredients. Kabocha squash cubes bake to an almost creamy texture making it the best choice for this recipe, but butternut squash can be substituted.

Instructions

Heat a large, deep non-stick skillet to medium heat, one that is large enough to hold all the cabbage. Add the bacon and cook until the fat is rendered,
and it begins to brown and crisp, about 8 minutes.

Turn off the heat and spoon the bacon onto a plate covered in a paper towel to absorb the grease. Discard all but about a 1 ½ teaspoons of grease in the bottom of the skillet. Add the cabbage and return the heat to medium-high.

Cook the cabbage, stirring often, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Pour in the
pomegranate juice and cook for about 2 minutes to deglaze the pan, until the liquid is no longer present in the bottom of the skillet.

Turn off the heat. Add the bacon back to the skillet and stir in the salt and pepper.

Transfer to a serving dish. Top with the pomegranate arils and shaved parmesan before serving warm.