A showstopper
Cabbage is one of those veggies, that you either love or hate. Heleen Meyer shows us how to make the most of this basic, and often forgotten veggie.
Cabbage can be a tasteless (grey) mush if not prepared correctly, but the opposite is just as true. If you treat it the right way, (so, not overcook it) and season it with complementing ingredients, then it’s a true feast!
The simple flavour of this everyday vegetable makes it quite versatile. It’s popular to use raw in a slaw and other salads. Cabbage is equally tasty in stews, one-pot meals, soups, and stir-fries. The deliciously sweet flavour makes it really special but remember that this is lost when overcooked.
Season it the right way
Good seasoning partners include nutmeg, cumin, caraway, fennel, mustard, apple and yes, bacon! These are all well-known combinations with cabbage. Other flavours that are always good with cabbage include lemon juice, chilli, soy sauce, Chinese five spice, parsley, and thyme. Quickly tossing cabbage in a hot pan with some olive oil, is a great way to retain some of the crunch and lots of flavour. Roasting it until just lightly grilled, like in this super easy recipe, will raise the cabbage bar in your kitchen to a whole new level of flavour.
Colourful crunch
Bacon and cabbage are both perfect to roast and go so well with the sweet-sour taste of mustard. Don’t be tempted to roast the cabbage for too long as it should still have a bit of ‘bite’ to it and definitely not be too soft. The combination of red and white cabbage gives the dish added colour, but just white cabbage will work as well. You can use the same recipe with a large head of cabbage, just cut it into even-sized wedges and roast as described. Serve this as a side dish at your next braai or with grilled chicken, fish or even pork. Small dollops of plain yoghurt can be served on top, or just enjoy it as is. So simple, so quick and so delicious.
Roasted cabbage & bacon with honey & mustard
Image by Adel Ferreira, for LiG Tydskrif
Serves 6 – 8
30 ml (2 tbsp) wholegrain mustard
30 ml (2 tbsp) honey
30 ml (2 tbsp) apple or white grape vinegar
30 ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
1 each small red and white cabbage, or half a large head, cut into thick wedges
250 g bacon, excess fat removed and cut into thick strips
salt and pepper to taste
- Preheat the oven to 220 °C.
- Mix the mustard, honey, vinegar, and oil together in a large mixing bowl.
- Place the cabbage and bacon in the mixture and toss until well coated. Season with salt and pepper.
- Place cabbage mixture in a shallow oven dish or lined baking tray. Roast for 20 minutes or until the cabbage is just cooked and the bacon starts to turn crispy. Take care not to overcook the cabbage. Alternatively, the cabbage can be roasted in batches in an air fryer, at 200 °C, until just cooked, but still crunchy.
- Serve immediately as a side dish.
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