Roasted cabbage with pomegranate and herbs

I just love this recipe because it speaks to the kind of cooking I like to do most: to take everyday Greek diet ingredients and breathe new life into them with simple but creative preparations. Cabbage is one of the most important vegetables in the Mediterranean diet. Here it’s roasted it until its leaves are charred and smoky and then married with bright pomegranate, extra virgin Greek olive oil and herbs.

Roasted cabbage with pomegranate and herbs. Credit: My Greek Table

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  15 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 1 head Savoy, Napa or regular white cabbage
• 90 ml extra virgin Greek olive oil
• Smoked flaky sea sal,t to taste
• Coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, plus extra to garnish
• 1½ tbsp fresh dill, plus extra, chopped, to garnish
• 1½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 pomegranate, halved across the width
• Grated zest of 1 lemon

Instructions

1. Preheat the grill.
2. Cut the cabbage into steaks or large wedges. If you have a few loose pieces, don’t worry about it, you can just add them to the pan, too.
3. Place the cabbage wedges or steaks and loose pieces in a large bowl and gently toss with 60 ml of olive oil, salt and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan or shallow baking pan, place about 20 cm (8 inches) from the heat source, and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and the edges crispy and charred. Remove and cool for a few minutes.
4. Meanwhile, finely chop the herbs and prepare the dressing: In a small bowl: whisk together 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1½ tablespoons of olive oil, a pinch of sea salt and a pinch of black pepper until smooth.
5. Transfer the cabbage to a serving bowl or platter. Hold the first pomegranate half in the palm of one hand, cut side down over the cabbage on the tray, and tap the skin with the back side of a soup spoon. Tap with some strength. The seeds will pop out easily this way. Repeat with the remaining pomegranate half.
6. Drizzle the cabbage and pomegranates with the dressing and grate the lemon zest over the top. Sprinkle with rosemary leaves and the chopped dill (or other herbs). Serve.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.