An Ode to Cabbage

This really should have been my inaugural post considering that cabbage, without exaggerating, is one of my favorite foods; but the truth is – it normally doesn’t look this GORGEOUS!!! A close friend of mine got me into cabbage a long time ago as part of a vegetable stir-fry that she often made, and through the years I have found many ways to prepare my favorite vegetable so I never grow tired of it. The simple fact is that cabbage provides a BLANK and NUTRITIOUS canvas for which you can go in many directions. I have recently seen on many food blogs and Instagram that cabbage is about to become a “thing” so welcome to the bandwagon my friends 🙂

This particular preparation is more like “Cabbage Steaks.” I took an entire head of green cabbage and cut through the entire cabbage creating about 3/4 inch-thick slabs of cabbage. I arranged the cabbage slices in a single layer on a large sheet pan. I first drizzled the cabbage with olive oil, and then I gave it a second drizzle of sesame oil. Combining different oils is just a natural and easy way to add extra flavor. Then it was time for seasoning. The cabbage slices had a sprinkle of garlic salt, Everything Seasoning and ginger powder. The cabbage roasted in a 400 degree oven for 50 minutes until the rims were just blistered. As you can see from the photo, this simple cabbage preparation turned out beautifully, and even my husband, who typically refuses to even try my cabbage, acknowledged how tasty it was!!!!

Often times I use this preparation because it really takes a matter of minutes to get it into the oven and then like those old Ron Popeil informercials you just “Set It! And Forget It.” If I am preparing Spaghetti + Meatballs for my family I may use some pesto sauce and parmesan cheese over the cabbage steaks. When you cut cabbage in these large rounds, the cabbage ends up having a linear, noodle-like quality, and for me, becomes the perfect vegetable accoutrement for the meatballs.

Sometimes I cook the cabbage super simply with just salt and pepper and then toss it afterwards in my favorite Siete Cashew Queso that I’ve mentioned before. If I’m making an Indian-style chicken I’ll use Chinese Five Spice on the cabbage. OH – or my favorite go-to cabbage recipe, I love cooking half a package of bacon on the rack in the oven, collecting the juices below, and using the bacon grease as the “oil” for this dish (always with salt + pepper), and then of course serving the finished cabbage with the reserved chopped bacon bits.

You get the point. Like all of the recipes I’ve shared, the point is always to find a way to make something enjoyable and delicious to you. So if you think you don’t love cabbage, try marrying this incredible, super adaptable vegetable with flavors that you know make you happy. Maybe you won’t become obsessed like I have, but never say never.