Charred Roasted Cabbage with Skordalia
- Makes4-6 servings
- Cook Time1¾ hours
- Active time plus cooling35 minutes active
This recipe is our re-creation of a small plate we enjoyed at Shaffa Bar in Tel Aviv. Cabbage wedges were roasted until deeply charred on the exterior and fork-tender inside, then paired with skordalia. The thick, creamy Greek dip is a puree of nuts, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice or vinegar, with a base of bread or cooked potatoes (we use bread, which keeps things simple, but make sure to use a rustic loaf rather than soft sandwich bread, and remove the crusts for a nicer-colored puree). We roast a whole head of garlic alongside the cabbage so the cloves turn creamy and sweet and easily blend into the skordalia. You will need foil to line the baking sheet to avoid sticking and also to cover the cabbage for roasting. If you don’t have 18-inch-wide foil, you will need to join two sheets of standard-width foil, folding or crimping the seam so steam will not escape. Serve as a first course, a light vegetarian main or as a side to grilled or roasted meats or fish.
Don’t undercook the cabbage. Keep it covered with foil until tender enough that a skewer easily slips in and out of each wedge. After the foil is removed, allow the cabbage to char deeply, and even blacken, in spots. This is essential for flavor.
Step 1
Heat the oven to 475°F with a rack in the middle position. Add the bread and almonds to a blender, then add ¼ cup water; set aside to soften.
Step 2
Line a rimmed baking sheet with extra-wide foil. Place the garlic head cut side down in the center. Coat each cabbage wedge on all sides with 1 tablespoon oil, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper over the wedges. Place the wedges, a cut side down, evenly spaced around the garlic. Tightly cover the baking sheet with foil and roast for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and uncover it carefully; lifting the foil will release steam. Remove the garlic; the cloves will be soft and tender. Using a wide metal spatula, flip each wedge onto the second cut side. Re-cover and roast just until the skewer inserted into the thickest part of the wedges meets no resistance, another 20 to 25 minutes.
Step 4
Meanwhile, squeeze the garlic cloves out of the skins into the blender; discard the skins. To the blender, add the lemon juice, sugar and ½ teaspoon salt. Process on high until smooth, about 1 minute, scraping the jar as needed. With the blender running, drizzle the ⅓ cup oil in a thin, steady stream, followed by ¼ cup water. The skordalia should be smooth, emulsified and have the consistency of pourable yogurt. If it is too stiff, blend in additional water 1 tablespoon at a time until the proper consistency is achieved. Taste and season with salt and pepper; set aside.
Step 5
Once again, carefully uncover the baking sheet and roast the cabbage until deeply charred, another 15 minutes, flipping the wedges with a wide metal spatula about halfway through. Remove from the oven.
Step 6
Transfer about ¼ cup skordalia to a small bowl for serving at the table. Spread the remainder in an even layer on a platter. Place the cabbage wedges on the platter, on top of the skordalia. Serve with the reserved skordalia on the side.
