The humble cabbage is one of my favorite vegetables, so when I saw this recipe for charred cabbage with miso browned butter by Andy Baraghani, my eyes grew big and my mouth watered. Andy, how did you ever think to showcase cabbage with miso, browned butter and lemon juice?
Within a few days I had invited friends to dinner so I could prepare the dish, which I accompanied with Ali Slagle’s cheesy green chile bean bake. Both recipes were among the most popular recipes that New York Times readers prepared in 2024.
Towards the end of dinner, one friend commented on how far the cabbage has come from days of yore. Historically, the ‘elite’ did not dine on cabbage. It’s history as a food for commoners, peasants, and working class poor, goes back as far as Roman times when cabbage was considered a food for the masses.
Native to the Mediterranean region and likely domesticated around 1000 BCE, cabbage was first cultivated for its leafy greens, not its compact heads. The Greeks and Romans prized cabbage for its medicinal and culinary uses. Roman texts describe its role in treating ailments like digestion issues and hangovers.
By the Middle Ages cabbage became a staple crop in colder, northern European climates due to its hardiness and storage qualities. New varieties were developed to support both medicinal and culinary needs. While the wealthy consumed exotic spices, meats, and refined grains, cabbage symbolized a simple, unadorned diet.
In the 19th century, industrialization and urban poverty cemented cabbage’s association with poverty, especially in factory towns and tenements. Dishes like cabbage soup or boiled cabbage were staples for impoverished families, as they were inexpensive, filling, and required minimal ingredients. Immigrant groups in North America, particularly Eastern Europeans and Irish, relied heavily on cabbage, linking it to working-class struggles.
I hereby proclaim that it’s time to celebrate cabbage’s role as a healthy, sustainable and versatile vegetable that is not only abundant, but thankfully affordable. Armed with the following recipe, now you can make it taste out of this world.
Recipe credit: Andy Baraghani, New York Times Cooking,
Ingredients
- 1 medium green or savoy cabbage (about 2 pounds)
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (optional)
Preparation
- Cut the cabbage in half through the core then cut each half into 4 wedges, keeping the core intact.
- Heat oil in a large cast-iron or high-sided skillet over medium-high until glistening. Working in batches if needed (you don’t want to overcrowd the pan), add the cabbage to the pan, cut side down. Using tongs, press down on the cabbage pieces to encourage browning until deeply charred on all sides, about 4 minutes per side. If the pan looks dry in between batches, add another tablespoon or two of oil. Transfer cabbage to a serving platter.
- Turn off heat, wipe out any cabbage bits from the pan and let the pan cool for a few minutes. Add the butter and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and scraping the bottom of the pan, until the butter has browned and smells nutty, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 teaspoon pepper and the miso. When combined (it won’t be a smooth sauce), stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add salt, if needed.
- Spoon the miso butter sauce over the cabbage and season with pepper. Optional: top with scallions
Serving suggestions
Pair this side with your favorite grilled protein, chop it up and add to pasta, or combine with roasted fingerling potatoes, carrots and garlic and serve with a quinoa rice combination.