“Eat your greens!” Your mother, or grandmother, might have told you at dinner.
Okay, so my mother did not tell me that growing up – we were a meat and potatoes kind of family – but I wish she would have. Especially if they were prepared like the cabbage below: The recipe was originally something I developed for a cooking class at The Good Acre, a nonprofit food hub that seeks to, “connect and strengthen farmers, food makers, and communities through good food.” Once a month, I teach a series there called Egg|Plant where you can learn about plant forward cooking and nutrition. The most recent class was called “Eat Your Greens,” but there’s something new every month.
And, if cooking vegetables are not your thing (I’m sure I wasn’t the only meat and potatoes kid in Minnesota), try one of their many other cooking class.
Recipe: Charred Cabbage with Miso
The thing I love most about this recipe? It manages to be incredibly dynamic and versatile, while maintaining a level of simplicity that keeps it accessible to any/all skill levels. You can swap out the cabbage for romaine, bok choy, or any other variety of cabbage if you’re looking to switch things up.
Even your kids will want more: It’s simply delicious. And they do, after all, need to eat their greens…
Recipe serves 4
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2 tablespoons miso
1/4 cup grapeseed oil
1 head napa cabbage, cut into 8 wedges with core intact
Kosher salt
1 lime, cut into wedges
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F.
In a small bowl, mix the butter and miso until well combined.
Over high heat, heat two large cast iron pans with the 1/8 cup oil in each. When hot, place half of the cabbage wedges, cut side down, in each pan. Leave the cabbage wedges in the pans without turning until the cut sides are charred, about 3 minutes.
Add more oil if the pan gets too dry, 1 tablespoon at a time. Once charred, turn cabbage wedge cut side up and spread miso butter on cut sides, dividing evenly. Cook for another 3 minutes or until you see color. When seared on both sides, place the pans with the cabbage into the oven.
Using a spoon, baste every 5 minutes with melted butter from bottom of pans. After 5 minutes, season with salt, flip, salt the other side, and cook for another 5-10 minutes. The cabbage should be quite tender and charred.
Remove from oven and squeeze the lime wedges over the top and serve as side with protein (white bean, fish like tuna or salmon, chicken, or tofu).
Looking for more recipes? Check out these on my website, or pair with this other Twin Cities Agenda recipe: Sweet & Sour Beef
