World’s Best Braised Green Cabbage

  • 1 medium head green cabbage
  • 1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
  • 1 large carrot, cut into ¼-inch rounds
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup chicken stock or water
  • Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.  Lightly oil a large gratin or baking dish (9×13 inch works well).  Peel any ragged outer leaves off cabbage.  Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges.Arrange the wedges in the baking dish in a single layer; they may overlap some but not too much.  If all the cabbage doesn’t fit, remove a wedge and use for something else.  Scatter in the onion and carrot.  Drizzle over the oil and the stock or water.  Season with salt, pepper, and pepper flakes.  Cover tightly with foil and slide into the middle of the oven to braise until the vegetables are completely tender, about 2 hours.  Turn the cabbage wedges with tongs after an hour.  Don’t worry if the wedges want to fall apart as you turn them; just do your best to keep them intact.  If the dish is drying out at all, add a few tablespoons of water.  Once the cabbage is completely tender, remove the foil, increase oven heat to 400 degrees and roast the vegetables until they begin to brown, another 15 minutes or so.  Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with a little more coarse salt.  The cabbage is excellent the next day, too, either at room temperature or warmed in a moderate oven for 20 minutes.

Serves 6 to 8.

From All About Braising: The Art of Uncomplicated Cooking by Molly Stevens.