Thursday, June 23, 2011

Roasted Savoy Cabbage with Raisins

Posted by Erin Wilburn / 4 comments » / csa, sides

You will not find a green thumb on either one of my hands.  Out of the 6 herbs I decided to grow in containers on my porch this summer, only 2 are still alive.  Cilantro and thyme.  Cilantro, for the most part, I know when & where to use it.  (Now that I no longer hate it.)  But thyme isn’t something I find myself needing to use as a fresh herb too often.  So, when searching for a recipe to use the savoy cabbage I received in our CSA, I found an incredibly simple one with a short ingredient list and it just so happened to use the thyme I kept alive!

Growing up the only way I knew of eating cabbage was either in coleslaw, or… boiled.  BLECH.  Now, there’s nothing wrong with my mom’s cooking skills, but BOILED CABBAGE?!  Still to this day the thought of it brings up exact sensory memories of the taste (bland), texture (soft and somewhat slimy almost), and smell (just.not.good) of boiled cabbage.  The good news is, this preparation brings up nothing but good sensory experiences!  I love that getting my vegetables in a CSA box every summer really challenges me to try different preparations of vegetables.  The technique here isn’t like any way I’ve ever had cabbage, but it will definitely be enjoyed in this manner again!  We love pretty much anything roasted, and this is no exception.  It has the smoky, roasted flavor, and still retains plenty of crunch.

My mom has a pretty good garden growing on the farm in KY, I’m not sure if she planted cabbage, but if she did I am definitely passing this one along to her, and praying she never boils cabbage again!

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Roasted Savoy Cabbage with Raisins

Yield: 4 servings

Cook Time: 20 min

Total Time: 1 1/2 hr

I halved this recipe exactly, and it was the perfect amount for the two of us. Because there was less volume, I didn't need to add it to the pan in 5 batches, two was sufficient. I also didn't need to cook it in the oven 30-40 minutes, as 20-25 was fine. Just a heads up, if like me, you most often cook for 2. 🙂

Also, I found it pretty much impossible to remove the thyme before serving, as it had completely broken up. It was fine to left in though, so no worries.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 large head Savoy cabbage (2 1/2 pounds), quartered and cored
2 1/2 tablespoons peanut oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 fresh thyme sprigs

Directions:

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.

Soak raisins in very hot water to cover in a small bowl 30 minutes, replacing hot water once or twice as it becomes tepid.

Tear cabbage into large pieces.

Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy ovenproof skillet or pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then add cabbage in 5 batches, adding some salt and pepper with each batch, stirring, and adding next batch as previous batch begins to wilt. (Some cabbage will brown.) Add butter and thyme and cook, stirring frequently, until all cabbage is wilted, about 3 minutes. Drain raisins and add to cabbage, then transfer skillet to oven and roast, stirring every 10 minutes, until cabbage is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs before serving. (optional)

Gourmet 2004, via Epicurious