Roasted Italian Cabbage

This is amazingly flavorful little dish that is easy to make and to top it up, it is very economical. Cooked sweet cabbage was never my most favorite. I enjoy it as a salad but cooking produces an odd, unpleasant scent, and that is how is stuck in my mind ever since my childhood. Unlike a sour cabbage or sauerkraut,which are a whole different story. Western Balkans classics as sour cabbage rolls (sarma) or podvarak are my most desired dishes. I could have them any time, every day.

However, the roasted cabbage recipe I present today is something very different. It has a great but very unusual taste for a cabbage, more reminiscent of artichokes, which is maybe what gives it a special appeal. The recipe has been inspired by a traditional dish popular in southern Italy. There are few simple ingredients and if bacon is omitted from the recipe, that would still work, and make a wonderful tasty vegetarian side dish. For all those busy souls, students and others alike, that like to do all their cooking on a weekend, this is an interesting and healthy dish that can be easily prepared, and than finished off under the broiler, at the later time, just before serving.

Print Recipe

Roasted Italian Cabbage

Roasted cabbage as a healthy vegetarian side dish or a main course with a smoked bacon!

Course

Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine

Italian

Keyword

roasted cabbage

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Servings

servings

Ingredients

Main Ingredients

• 400 g cabbage no stem, finely chopped in the food processor
• 60 g smoked bacon sliced
• 60 g onion finely chopped in the food processor
• 60 g white beans canned
• 30 g Parmesan cheese grated
• 2 garlic cloves diced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp Austrian Spice Mix
• 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley minced
• 2 tsp Vodka chili sauce or substitute with Sriracha
• extra virgin olive oil for garnish
• 2 tsp dried bread crumbs for garnish

Austrian Spice Mix

• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp lovage dried
• 1 1/2 tsp sage dried
• 1 1/2 tsp marjoram dried
• 1 1/2 tsp green peppercorns
• 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
• 1 tbsp sea salt

Course Main Dish, Side Dish Cuisine Italian Keyword roasted cabbage Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 45 minutes Servings servings Ingredients Main Ingredients 400 g cabbage no stem, finely chopped in the food processor 60 g smoked bacon sliced 60 g onion finely chopped in the food processor 60 g white beans canned 30 g Parmesan cheese grated 2 garlic cloves diced 2 bay leaves 1 tsp coarse sea salt 1 tsp Austrian Spice Mix 2 tbsp flat-leaf parsley minced 2 tsp Vodka chili sauce or substitute with Sriracha extra virgin olive oil for garnish 2 tsp dried bread crumbs for garnish Austrian Spice Mix 1 tbsp poppy seeds 1 1/2 tsp caraway seeds 1 1/2 tsp lovage dried 1 1/2 tsp sage dried 1 1/2 tsp marjoram dried 1 1/2 tsp green peppercorns 1 tbsp dark brown sugar 1 tbsp sea salt

Instructions

1. Using a coffee grinder, grind Austrian spice mix.

   
2. Add sliced bacon to cold, large skillet covered with a splash guard. Turn the heat to medium (6 out of 10) and cook for about 15 minutes.

   
3. Finely chop together cabbage and onions, in the food processor.

   
4. Make an assessment if amount of rendered fat in the skillet is sufficient. If there is too much, sponge some out with a paper towel, if there is not enough add some olive oil.
5. Add cabbage/ onion mixture, Austrian spice mix, salt and bay leaves. Stir, making sure the cabbage is fully coated with fat, cook for 6 minutes.

   
6. Lower heat to medium low (4 out of 10), stir and push the bay leaves under the cabbage. Put the lid on and without stirring cook for 15 minutes.
7. Take the lid off, stir and cook for 2-3 more minutes.
8. Add white beans, parsley, garlic and Vodka chili sauce (or Sriracha), stir and let cook another 4-5 minutes.

   
9. Pick out bay leaves from the skillet. Remove the skillet from heat, add Parmesan cheese, stir and let the cheese melt in the mixture.
10. Let it cool completely and then refrigerate, if planning to serve at the later time, otherwise continue with the finishing off.
11. Put the cabbage mixture in two separate ceramic dishes, sprinkle with some dried bread crumbs, drizzle with little olive oil.
12. Raise the oven rack to about 10 cm (4") from the broiler heating element. Broil for 5-7 minutes and watch closely it does not burn.
13. Serve warm garnished with freshly chopped parsley.

    

Share this Recipe