Balsamic Maple Roasted Cabbage with Toasted Walnuts & Lemon
This beautiful side dish featuring the humble cabbage will brighten up any meal during the cold season. This recipe is adapted from Joshua McFadden’s Six Seasons: A New Way with Vegetables - by far one of my favourite cookbooks of the past couple years.
Joshua’s original version is made with savoy cabbage, but I had one big head of red cabbage sitting in my fridge so that’s what I used here. I skipped the butter, breadcrumbs and parmesan the original recipe calls for and it’s still fantastic. Cabbage wedges are roasted with a simple mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and maple syrup, then topped with a bright crunchy salsa made with toasted walnuts, a bit of garlic, and lots of lemon.
Balsamic Maple Roasted Cabbage with Toasted Lemon Walnuts
4-6 portions as a side dish
Ingredients
1 medium head of cabbage (red, green or savoy)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tsp maple syrup
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup raw walnuts
1 small garlic clove
1 tsp lemon zest + 1-2 tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste
Red pepper flakes (I used Aleppo pepper) - optional
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Remove the tough end of the cabbage, then slice it in half. Remove the tough center, then slice into 8 to12 wedges. Place wedges on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
In a small jar, whisk together 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the balsamic vinegar and maple syrup.
Brush the tops of the cabbage wedges with the balsamic maple mixture, reserving about half of it for later. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper. Roast in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and use a spatula to delicately flip wedges on the other side. Brush the tops with the remaining balsamic mixture, then place back in the oven for another 8-10 minutes, or until the cabbage is softened in the center and brown and crispy on the edges. Time may vary depending on your oven and the size of your cabbage wedges, so make sure to keep an eye on it.
While the cabbage is roasting, place the walnuts on a small baking sheet or dish and toast in the oven alongside the cabbage for 5-6 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly golden. Be careful not to burn them.
Once toasted, remove the walnuts from the oven and transfer to a chopping board. Roughly chop with a large knife, then place in a small bowl. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, then grate the garlic clove over the bowl with a microplane. Add the lemon zest, one tablespoon of lemon juice, a pinch of sea salt and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes. Stir to mix, then let the flavours mingle while the cabbage finishes roasting.
When ready, remove cabbage from the oven. Taste the walnut mixture and adjust seasoning by adding more salt, red pepper flakes, or lemon juice if needed - be generous with the lemon and seasoning; the walnut salsa should be bright and punchy.
Carefully transfer cabbage wedges on a serving plate, then immediately top with the walnut salsa. Serve while hot.
Recipe adapted from Six Seasons: A New Way With Vegetables by Joshua McFadden.
