This buttery charred cabbage recipe utilizes a few methods to make the tasty and complex flavors come together. The cabbage is seared in wedges on a cast iron pan. Then, they're braised in a tangy, spiced tomato sauce until tender. Finally, the tahini sauce is drizzled on top to make this decadent veggie dish.
Ingredients
- ½ medium green or red cabbage (a medium cabbage weighs about 2 pounds/910 g)
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 14.5-ounce/410 g can diced tomatoes
- 1½ tsp cumin seeds
- 2 medium shallots sliced
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 tsp sweet or hot paprika
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper or Urfa biber or about 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ cup 8 g fresh cilantro (or flat-leaf parsley) leaves and tender stems chopped
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 recipe lemon tahini sauce or to taste
For the tahini sauce
- 60 ml freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 112 grams well-stirred tahini
- ¾ tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves grated or crushed with a press
- 2 tsp pure maple syrup
- 6 to 8 tbsp ice water plus more as needed
Instructions
- Cut the cabbage half lengthwise through the core to get four wedges.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet or heavy- bottomed pan for which you have a lid over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Once shimmering, add the cabbage, cut side down, and season with ½ teaspoon of the salt.
- Using tongs, move the wedges back and forth gently to ensure they’re evenly coated in the oil, and cook until browned on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully flip, sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and cook until browned on the other side, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Transfer the wedges to a plate. Take the pan off the heat to cool down for 5 to 10 minutes (do some prep or cleanup in the meantime).
- Stir the maple syrup into the canned tomatoes. Set aside.
- Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in the same pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook, tossing frequently, until they are aromatic and darker in color, 1 minute. Add the shallots and garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add the coriander, paprika, cinnamon, nutmeg, and Aleppo pepper and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low. Pour in the tomato–maple syrup mixture with all the juices, stir, and carefully nestle the wedges back into the pan.
- Cover and simmer until the cabbage is tender and the tomatoes have thickened a bit, 8 to 10 minutes, opening the pan once to check if the tomatoes are drying up (if so, add a few splashes of water).
- Serve the cabbage straight from the pan. Top with cilantro and a squeeze of lemon juice. Spoon some tahini sauce generously on top and serve more on the side.
For the tahini sauce
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, tahini, salt, cumin, pepper to taste, garlic, and maple syrup.
- Add the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, whisking as you go it will get stiff at first but eventually will become creamy yet pourable.
- Taste for seasonings, adding more salt as desired.