50 Min

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Roasted Napa Cabbage

Even though cold weather has peeked in and out of Houston in the last few weeks, greens, such as spinach or kale which grow best in cooler weather, have begun to show up at the farmer’s market in abundance. I picked up a beautiful head of napa cabbage from Eli’s table at the Urban Harvest Farmer’s market and wanted to experiment with serving it whole. Cabbage, despite its high nutritional content, often does not get the respect it deserves and can hold its own as a dramatic yet vegetable main course like say, an artichoke or a Romanesco. Yet, cabbage, whose sweetness is intensified when roasted, reminds me of comfort food and nourishment. Especially when paired with a tart gingery cranberry chutney. This chutney may serve your holiday needs as well and would be delicious with roasted turkey or meat.

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Cook Time

50 Minutes

Serves

4

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise. Remove the outer leaves and set aside for serving.

Step 2

Over high heat, warm up a few tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan. Cook the cabbage heads cut side down for a few minutes each until the cabbage has some color. Flip over and place them both on a baking pan, cut side up.

Step 3

Sprinkle with black pepper and salt and a little more olive oil. Roast in the oven, uncovered for 10 minutes then wrap in foil, lower the heat to 300°F, checking to ensure that the cabbage is not getting too much color. Cook it covered for another 15 to 20 minutes. The cabbage should be fork tender.

Step 4

In the meanwhile, to make the cranberry chutney, combine the cranberries, sugar, ginger, chile, cumin, cinnamon, salt with one cup of water in a stockpot and bring to a boil. The cranberries with give off liquid as well, so continue to cook the mixture, uncovered until it appears to thicken slightly. Turn the heat off. The chutney will also thicken as it cools.

Step 5

When ready to serve the cabbage, toss the raw leaves with lemon juice and lay on the serving dish. Place the 2 roasted halves of cabbage on top. Drizzle the remaining olive oil and top with cranberry chutney.

Notes & Variations

There are many ways to upgrade this dish. Add a layer of cheese on the cabbage just before removing it from the oven. Or spoon some plain yogurt swirled with honey and salt before you spoon the cranberry chutney over it.
Add nut butters or chopped toasted nuts like almonds, pistachios or pine nuts.
While the cabbage is best served the day it is made, the cranberry chutney will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Ingredients

1 large head of napa cabbage

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Juice of one lemon

Cranberry Chutney

2 cups of fresh cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon red chile

1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the cabbage in half lengthwise. Remove the outer leaves and set aside for serving.

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Step 5

1 large head of napa cabbage

1/3 cup olive oil

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

Juice of one lemon

Cranberry Chutney

2 cups of fresh cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon minced ginger

1 teaspoon red chile

1 teaspoon toasted ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon sea salt

Notes & Variations

There are many ways to upgrade this dish. Add a layer of cheese on the cabbage just before removing it from the oven. Or spoon some plain yogurt swirled with honey and salt before you spoon the cranberry chutney over it.
Add nut butters or chopped toasted nuts like almonds, pistachios or pine nuts.
While the cabbage is best served the day it is made, the cranberry chutney will keep in the refrigerator for up to a month.

Tags:

50 Min

Tags:

50 Min

CONSIDER US CABBAGE FANATICS.

Join the cause, keep eating cabbage in all its delicious varieties!

CABBAGE? COUNT US IN

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