‘Nduja Roasted Cabbage Recipe- The Most Indulgent Cabbage You’ll Ever Have
Brussel sprouts have really worked their way up in the world. Recipe blogs have figured out how to elevate the vegetable out of a bowl of green bulbs boiled mushy and flavorless and learned the joy of shredding their crisp leaves raw into salads, or the luxury the pale green heads take on when roasted with caramelized onions and fatty bacon. If Brussels sprouts can receive such a drastic media makeover in recent years, why leave behind their larger cruciferous cousin?
Cabbage sales have been rising steadily over the past few months- a trend predicted by Eater writer Jaya Saxena this past December that has only kept growing through quarantine as consumers have relied on the natural probiotics in kimchi and sauerkraut to ward off COVID-19. But for the past few years it seemed like cabbage was being written out of the culinary cannon outside of a coleslaw or sauerkraut recipe. See a head of cabbage and most people think of something boiled limp and slimy, sad and sagging leaves bereft of any color with a strong sulfuric stink. But when prepared correctly, the hearty head can become the most indulgent vegetable in your repertoire.
The secret to combating the distinct fartiness of overcooked cruciferous veg is roasting it in a hotter-than-you’d-expect oven. 425 is my minimum in order to caramelize the natural sugars and steam the inner layers of leaves until they are tender and nearly melted. After cutting thick wedges of cabbage with the core trimmed of the brown bottom but still mostly intact, I rub them with melted butter to help the seasonings stick. I like to give my wedges a charred bottom, so I get my cast iron pan screaming hot before placing the cabbage in with the flat side down. A tight lid is also essential for baking at such a high heat to help steam the head so your fork glides through each layer of buttery leaves with minimal effort- tin foil does the perfect job to seal in the heat. Baste it often with some extra melted butter and just let it bake until lightly charred at the tips and the layers are separated.
I’ve recently come into a wealth on ‘nduja, and though this spreadable sausage is often eaten raw, I render the fat and strain the excess in butter. The subtle cheesy nuttiness and pop of Calabrian chili seeps into every layer and crevice, and the cabbage itself takes on an almost melted texture with repeated bastings. When a knife slides effortlessly into the core, I take off the foil and top the caramelized wedges with breadcrumbs mixed with the sauteed ‘nduja and return it to the oven until brown and crispy on top. Cabbage is a simple vegetable, for sure, but anything made deliciously will be delicious.
- 6oz ‘nduja
- 1 c breadcrumbs
- ½ c (1 stick) butter
- 1 head cabbage
- 1 tsp coarse salt
- ½ tsp coarse pepper
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Set a cast iron skillet or other oven-safe pan over medium heat and render the ‘nduja, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon into smaller crumbles that will continue to break down during cooking.
- While the ‘nduja is rendering, prepare the cabbage by trimming off the brown end of the stem but leaving the core instact. Cut the head into two halves with a sharp knife, then face the halves flat side down on a cutting board and cut the head into thirds at an angle, making sure to include some core in every wedge so the leaves hold together while roasting.
- Once the fat is rendered and the meat looks like it’s in a pool of fat, melt the butter in and pour into a mesh strainer over a bowl to reserve the fat, returning the pan to the heat. Leave the meat to cool and mix into breadcrumbs
- Rub the wedges with enough ‘nduja butter to lightly coat, reserving the rest of the fat for basting. Season liberally with salt and pepper, with the intent to flavor the deeper layers on the cabbage, then arrange the wedges into the pan with the flat sides down and making sure to not overcrowd the pan. Carefully seal a sheet of foil over the pan with pot holders and place in the oven for 45 minutes, basting at least halfway through the cook time with reserved fat- you will have plenty of the butter mixture left over. Basting the cabbage more often gives it more flavor and tender texture.
- Check the cabbage after an hour by plunging the tip of a knife into the core of the thickest wedge. If it slips in and out without any resistance, pile the breadcrumbs over top, lightly compacting them on top of the wedges, and bake uncovered for another 20 until crispy and brown. If underdone, return to the over covered and continue with the breadcrumbs once tender.
- Serve hot from the oven sprinkled liberally with fresh parmesan
