Charred Miso Cabbage
This is one of my absolute favorite Aster Pantry recipes. Seriously, every time I serve it, the guests go bananas. The sweetness of the Asian pear and the tart, spicy relish play perfectly with the charred, umami-rich miso-glazed cabbage wedges.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
For the cabbage
1 green cabbage, quartered
1 asian pear, thinly sliced
Neutral oil
For the relish
½ cup red onion, finely diced
¼ cup pickled chilis, diced (jalapenos, banana peppers, or fresnos, or a mix!)
1 bunch cilantro, minced stems only (save the leaves for garnishing)
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
For the miso brown butter
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 tablespoon white miso
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 400°F with the fan on.
Make the miso brown butter. In a small saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat until it browns and smells nutty (5-10 minutes). Turn off the heat and whisk in the miso paste. Transfer to a small heatproof bowl.
Roast the cabbage. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add enough neutral oil to coat. Season the cut sides of the cabbage quarters with salt and arrange in the pan. Don’t crowd the pan! To help the cabbage brown evenly, use another skillet to weigh it down. Cook until deeply caramelized, then flip to brown the other cut side. When both sides are charred, transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the cabbage is tender but not completely soft (about 20 minutes, but denser cabbages may take longer - use a knife or cake tester to assess doneness). Flip the cabbage and brush both charred sides with plenty of miso butter. Return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes.
Make the pepper relish. In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and season to taste with salt, adding more vinegar if needed.
Plate. Place a wedge of cabbage on each plate. Tuck the pear slices into the cabbage leaves and scatter the relish on top.
FURTHER READING
