6 c. knife shredded cabbage
1 c. boiling water
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1 c. milk
1 c. grated (med. fine) cheddar cheese, lightly packed

Into a medium saucepan, turn the cabbage, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Boil, covered, until tender crisp, about 7 minutes. With a long-handled fork, turn cabbage over a few times during the boiling. Then drain thoroughly.

In a 1-quart saucepan over moderately low heat, melt butter. Stir in flour. Remove from heat. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Gradually stir in milk, keeping smooth. Cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.

Remove cabbage from heat. Add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Add to cabbage and reheat gently. Serve at once. If dish is not to be served at once, do not combine the cabbage and cheese sauce until ready to heat and serve, because cabbage retains liquid and is likely to thin sauce.