Confit cabbage with chestnuts, crispy cabbage leaves and green sauce
Turn simple cabbage into an outstanding vegetarian dish that will impress at a dinner party or special occassion.
Ingredients
For the chestnuts
- 25ml/1fl oz sherry vinegar
- 100ml/3½fl oz rapeseed oil
- 1 banana shallot, diced
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 60g/2¼oz chestnuts, roughly chopped
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the confit cabbage
- 1 Savoy cabbage
- 250g/9oz unsalted butter, melted
- 250ml/9fl oz warm water
- pinch salt
For the smoky seasoning
- 500ml/18fl oz vegetable oil, for deep frying
- 3 tsp sweet smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
For the green sauce
- 250g/9oz wild garlic, stalks and fibrous centres removed
- 100g/3½oz spinach, stalks and fibrous centres removed
- 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 40g/1½oz cultured barley miso paste
- 65ml/2¼fl oz double cream
- 25g/1oz Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon, juice only
Method
To make the chestnuts, place the sherry vinegar in a small bowl and slowly drizzle in the rapeseed oil while whisking vigorously. When the oil is fully incorporated, stir through the shallot, lemon zest and chestnuts. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
To make the confit cabbage, preheat the oven to 170C/150C Fan/Gas 3. Peel the cabbage’s outer leaves away and set aside. Cut the inner parts of the cabbages in half, going directly through the core to keep each half intact. In a deep casserole dish, place the cabbage halves face down. Pour over the melted butter and warm water. Cover the dish with kitchen foil and cook in the oven for 40 minutes. To check the cabbage is done, insert a skewer through the core. If there is no resistance, it is cooked. Season with salt.
Meanwhile, to make the crispy cabbage leaves with smoky seasoning, finely slice the reserved outer cabbage leaves into roughly 5cm/2in wide strips. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep fat fryer to 190C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.) Deep fry the leaves until crispy, carefully stirring every now and then to ensure they are getting cooked evenly. Transfer to kitchen towel to drain.
Mix all of the smoky seasoning ingredients in a small bowl. Season the cabbage crisps with the smoky seasoning to taste.
To make the green sauce, blanch the wild garlic and spinach in hot water for 30 seconds and then plunge straight into iced water. Lightly squeeze the water out of the leaves and set aside.
Heat the rapeseed oil in a saucepan, add the garlic and fry until lightly golden. Add the miso and cook for a further 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with the cream and mustard and stir well. Set aside.
Roughly chop the blanched greens and put them in a food processor or blender. Add the mustard cream mixture and blend for 2 minutes on full speed. Taste and season with a squeeze of lemon. Pour the sauce through a sieve to remove any remaining fibres.
To serve, pour the sauce into bowls and top with the confit cabbage, the crispy cabbage leaves and chestnuts.
