I used to work at a fancy restaurant. You know, one of those places where everything is tiny, and there are a lot of foams. One of the first dishes I was responsible for was a scallop crudo marinated in a sake lees dressing garnished with cabbage ice and punched-out coins of compressed Savoy cabbage leaves. The cabbage coins and cabbage ice had to be made from the very greenest parts of the cabbage leaves.
This left behind over 75 percent of the vegetables that I had to use up for family meals every day. I made a lot of cabbage slaw, cabbage salad, cabbage soup, braised cabbage, cabbage curry—you get the picture. It was often the only vegetable we’d ever eat, leaving all the cooks super gassy. And obviously, as the only girl on the team, my station became the unofficial fart corner. But hey, at least I really got to learn my way around a head of cabbage.
Sometimes when I have a lot of something I start to hate it. But not so with cabbage. Having to figure out what to do with pounds and pounds of cabbage made me appreciate how versatile it is. It’s got a great crunch when raw, nice squeaky chew when barely cooked, and becomes so silky after a long braise. The longer you cook it, the more sweet it becomes, while deeply charring cabbage adds tons of umami.
This Cabbage Shepherds Pie takes the meaty, starchy layers of a traditional shepherds pie and throws a whole head of cabbage at it. The big outer leaves are pull from the head, blanched, and used to wrap the pie. It keeps the meat from drying out in the oven, adds a silky layer, and allows you to flip out the pie for a festive apperance (because everyone know that flipping food is always fun).
The remaining cabbage is chopped fine and cooked until totally wilted, caramelized, and even blackened in places. Don’t get scared of any blackened or even burnt bits. With cabbage and other cruciferous vegetables, blackening them won’t make them bitter! Instead they’re savory flavors intensify, so bring on the burn. This cabbage is mixed with the ground meat, stretching the pound so you can easily serve six.
Cabbage Shepherds Pie
serves 4 to 6 | active time: 1 ½ hours | total time: 2 hours
INGREDIENTS
kosher salt
1 medium head cabbage (red, green, or Savoy)
2 tablespoons neutral oil, plus more
1 pound ground lamb, beef, chicken, or pork
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
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