VelvetGrilled Cabbage with Lemon and Thyme
Inspired by techniques from America's Test Kitchen.
Green cabbage wedges grilled until deeply browned and tender, brushed with a lemon, thyme and honey vinaigrette. Salting ahead softens the leaves, while a little dressing saved for the platter keeps the finish bright and fresh.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Salt the wedges. Cut the cabbage into 8 equal wedges through the core, leaving a piece of core attached to each so the leaves stay together. Arrange on a tray, sprinkle the salt over all sides and leave for 45 min.
- 2
Whisk the vinaigrette. Mix the thyme, shallot, honey, mustard, lemon zest, lemon juice and ¼ tsp pepper in a bowl. Slowly pour in the 90 ml olive oil, whisking until the dressing comes together. Measure 60 ml into a jug and set aside for serving; keep the rest for brushing the cabbage.
- 3
Prepare a charcoal barbecue. For charcoal, fully open the bottom vent and light a large chimney holding about 5.7 litres of briquettes. Once the upper coals have a partial coating of ash, spread them evenly across the barbecue. Fit the grate, cover, open the lid vent fully and heat until hot, about 5 min.
- 4
Or heat a gas barbecue. For gas, turn every burner to high, close the lid and heat until hot, about 15 min. Reduce all the burners to medium before adding the cabbage.
- 5
Grill the first side. Scrub the grate clean, then use the tongs to rub it with paper towels lightly moistened with the 1 tsp oil. Brush one cut face of each wedge with half the dressing left in the bowl. Lay that face on the grate and grill until well browned, 7-10 min, keeping the lid closed on a gas barbecue.
- 6
Turn and soften. Brush the upper cut faces with the dressing remaining in the bowl, then turn the wedges with the tongs. Grill for another 7-10 min, covered on gas, until the second side is well browned and a fork slips easily into the thickest part.
- 7
Dress and serve. Move the wedges to a platter and drizzle with the reserved 60 ml vinaigrette. Taste, add a little more salt and pepper if needed, and serve straight away.
Storage
Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days and reheat gently in a frying pan until piping hot. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
EU nutrition claims
- Source of fibre: 2.3 g fibre per 100 kcal (needs ≥ 1.5 g)
Per 100 g of the finished dish, worked out from the nutrition per serving and the lowest likely cooked weight (about 184 g a serving), so the true values are, if anything, lower. Thresholds from the Annex to EU Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006. How we decide
Free sugars
Free sugars: 3.1 g per serving
6.2 % of the 50 g daily maximum · 12.4 % of the ideal 25 g
Free sugars under 50 g a day, ideally about 25 g (WHO). The share shown is the share of one serving. who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549028
Equipment
- chef's knife
- chopping board
- fine grater
- tray
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- measuring spoons
- measuring jug
- charcoal or gas barbecue with a lid
- large chimney starter and charcoal briquettes (for charcoal)
- grill brush
- paper towels
- long-handled tongs
- pastry brush
- fork
- serving platter
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 256 kcal |
| Protein | 3.1 g |
| Carbohydrate | 17.2 g |
| of which sugars | 10.5 g |
| of which free sugars | 3.1 g |
| Fat | 21.1 g |
| of which saturates | 3 g |
| Fibre | 6 g |
| Salt | 1.59 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
1.2 g High Protein needs ≥ 5 g (20% of energy)
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
