CARAWAY CABBAGE GRATIN
by Cheesemonger Carolyn
adapted from Andy Baraghani’s “Cheesy Cabbage Gratin,” Bon Appetit
Humble green cabbage gets dressed up with a savory garlic-and-caraway cream sauce, plus a healthy grating of the underrated but delicious Extra Aged Caraway Havarti. Pre-roasting the cabbage before assembling the gratin helps draw out water and concentrate flavor for maximum cheesy, creamy, cabbagey goodness. Serve alongside a simple roast chicken (recipe in notes!) for a cozy, comforting dinner to beat the late-winter blues.
INGREDIENTS
1 medium green cabbage (~3.5lb), cut through the core into eight even wedges
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 tsp caraway seeds
2 cups heavy cream
4 oz. Aged Parmesan, finely grated
8 oz. Extra Aged Caraway Havarti, coarsely grated
You can also substitute our Aged Sweet Cream Havarti!Fresh parsley and/or dill, minced, for serving
PREPARATION
Position racks in the top and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Place cabbage wedges on a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil, then season lightly with salt and pepper. Roast on the top rack until cabbage is tender and edges are browned, even charred, about 50 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, melt 1 tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium low heat. Add sliced garlic and caraway seeds and cook until garlic is softened and seeds are toasted, 1-2 minutes. Add cream, 1 tsp salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until cream is fragrant and slightly reduced, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in grated parmesan until it melts.
3. Grease a shallow baking dish with remaining butter. Arrange cabbage wedges in dish and pour cream mixture over. Bake on lower oven rack, uncovered, until cream thickens and bubbles, about 30 minutes.
4. Sprinkle grated caraway havarti evenly over cabbage. Move to top oven rack and bake until cheese is bubbling, beginning to brown, and generally irresistible, about 10 minutes.
5. Serve warm, topped with fresh parsley and/or dill if desired, and repeat as needed :)
NOTES
If you have a broiler-safe baking dish (I don’t!) you could do the last step in the broiler instead of on the top oven rack. Baraghani suggests letting the gratin cool for 30 minutes, then adding the cheese and broiling for about 4 minutes. Watch closely so it doesn’t burn!
For an easy, crispy roast chicken: about 3 hours before you want to eat, pat a 3-4 lb chicken dry with paper towels and then rub all over with 1-2 Tbsp kosher salt, zest of 1 lemon, and lots of freshly ground black pepper. Let sit uncovered at room temp for at least 1 hour, preferably 2, then preheat oven to 425 degrees. Transfer chicken to a sheet pan or cast iron skillet (my preference). Sprinkle with leftover parsley and/or dill, and slice the zested lemon in half and stuff it into the cavity. Roast until skin is very well-browned and a meat thermometer stuck into the thigh joint registers 170 F, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before carving, then squeeze lemon halves over and serve alongside big scoops of cabbage gratin. For timing’s sake, I first seasoned the chicken, then prepared and baked the gratin, then roasted the chicken, then reheated the gratin at 350 degrees while the chicken rested, then carved the chicken and sprinkled more fresh herbs on everything. Simple and delicious.
