Cabbage, Parmesan, Garlic, Olive Oil, Salt Cellar

Cabbage is such a versatile vegetable….. Braised cabbage, roasted cabbage, cabbage rolls, coleslaw, etc. I was browsing through one of my recipe books that has quickly become a favorite – “Six Seasons – A New Way With Vegetables” https://amzn.to/4rey7Vn. The cookbook focuses on wonderful vegetable recipes geared toward the seasons. SO MANY great recipes and such inspiration for ways to prepare veggies. Because seasonal cooking is such a cornerstone in both Pacific Northwest and French cooking, this book is a great addition to the library. While browsing, I came across a recipe for “Roasted Cabbage with Walnuts, Parmigiana, and Saba”. Truth be told, I didn’t even know what Saba is! (I now do: It is traditional Italian condiment made from concentrated grape must, similar to Balsamic Vinegar). The recipe called for roasting the cabbage in quarters. I have never roasted such big chunks, but that sent me down a rabbit trail, landing on the idea of Roasted Cabbage Steaks.

The idea of keeping cabbage in “rounds” and roasting them in “steaks” was intriguing. After researching several recipes and articles, I landed on the idea of Parmesan and Bacon – both flavor power houses to add to the cabbage. Roasting the cabbage at high heat crisps up the edges while turning the interior into buttery soft bites, with bits of crunch. The flavor and texture were perfect in these Roasted Cabbage Steaks.

I wrote the recipe for two (as a side, one as a main), but this could easily be doubled. The Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Parmesan are perfect for a light meal. They would make a wonderful side dish as well. You could leave the bacon off and add more Parmesan if you would like a vegetarian option. The entire process is straight forward and super simple. Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 Medium Green Cabbage
1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Cloves Garlic – Pressed
1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
1/2 tsp Salt
Pepper
8 Tbsp Grated Parmesan Cheese – Divided
3 Slices Bacon

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400℉. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper, sprayed with non-stick spray.
Pull off any outer or damaged leaves of cabbage. With the "stem" of the cabbage horizontal to the cutting board, slice the top off the cabbage. Continue to slice two 1" thick "steaks".
On the prepared baking sheet, sprinkle 2 Tablespoons of Parmesan into two separate circles on the prepared parchment.
Place a cabbage steak on top of each Parmesan circle.
In a small bowl, combine Olive Oil, Pressed Garlic, Salt, Smoked Paprika, and Pepper. Add 2 Tablespoons of the Grated Parmesan and stir to combine.
Brush seasoned oil on top of cabbage steaks. Sprinkle with each steak with 1 Tablespoon more of Parmesan.
Pop in the oven for 30 minutes.
While cabbage is cooking, cut bacon strips into 1/4" lardons. Cook in small frying pan until crispy.
Once cooked, remove to paper towel to soak up excess fat.
After 30 minutes (or until cabbage steaks are crispy around edges and the tops are browned), remove from oven and switch oven to Broil.
Top each steak with Bacon and a final layer of Parmesan.
Pop under the broiler, leaving the oven door cracked to keep an eye on everything. Broil for 1-2 minutes, until the Parmesan is melted.
Remove from oven and Enjoy!

Roasted Cabbage Steaks with Parmesan