This Miso Roasted Kale Will Be a Surprise Hit at Your Thanksgiving.
I remember the first time I was invited to a vegetarian Thanksgiving, I felt offended. I was going to miss the most important thing – the bird. Instead, I was impressed by the breadth of flavors that came to the table when we weren’t relying on turkey and gravy. Over the past 10 years, when I’ve hosted dinners, vegetarians have been part of my guest list, and I’ve gone from someone who resented the need to “vegetarianize” food to a true connoisseur of vegetable-centered dishes.
If this is your first time considering vegetables among us, this trick will create a centerpiece that will satisfy absolutely everyone, no matter where they are, from the vegan to the guest who eats drumsticks with their hands. Whole roasted cabbage may not sound exciting, but this dish is crazy on the umami scale, packs enough weight for a lunch, and looks amazing on the plate.
Inexpensive and easy to manufacture
I can give you four good reasons to consider this dish. First of all, it’s cheap. A giant head of cabbage costs less than $5. This dish is served as a main course to four to five people, and as a side dish to as many as eight. It’s quick, with the entire dish prepping in under a minute and ready in just an hour. Moreover, it is so simple that it is even absurd; you absolutely can’t mess it up. Finally, it’s unpretentious. You can transfer it from the oven to the table, or you can prepare it in advance and reheat it if necessary. Actually, if you’ve cooked this and need a little time before dinner, there’s no harm in leaving it in the oven, you won’t be able to overcook it. It cooks at 400 degrees, so it can likely be cooked alongside other meals throughout the day.
The perfection of this recipe is in its simplicity. You simply rub a whole head of cabbage with miso and then bake it for an hour at 400 degrees in a saucepan with a lid. It doesn’t really matter what kind of pan, as long as it’s oven safe and can hold the cabbage. You leave the lid open for the first half so the cabbage can simmer, and then you finish it by removing the lid to allow it to brown well as it cooks. When the cabbage is done, you should be able to easily run a knife through it, or you can return it to the oven until it’s done. You cut it into slices and dress it, and then it goes straight to the table.
Miso, raspberries and soy add bright, rich umami flavor to dishes.
The success of this recipe is based on a few things, namely the fact that the cabbage takes on flavor very well while still retaining some texture. If you’re hosting a small group, one head of purple or green cabbage will be enough, but for a larger group, two smaller heads, one of each color, means the plate will be the color of the rainbow, with purple, bright green, and then purple-pink from raspberry soy. The miso imparts a rich, deep flavor that caramelizes on the cabbage as it sautes and roasts, then adds bright tartness from the raspberries.
I dare you not to like this dish.
Miso baked cabbage with raspberry soy sauce
Ingredients
- One head of cabbage, 4-6 lbs.
- 2 tablespoons white miso
- 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen
- ΒΌ cup soy sauce
Equipment
- Oven-safe casserole dish with lid
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, positioning racks low enough to allow room for pan with lid on.
- Using your hands, spread the miso all over the cabbage.
- Place the cabbage in a saucepan, cover with a lid and place in the oven. Cook for thirty minutes.
- Remove the lid and continue cooking for another thirty minutes.
- Make raspberry soy sauce by blending soy and berries in a blender until desired consistency is reached.
- Remove the pan, cut the cabbage into eight wedges and place on a serving platter.
- Drizzle raspberry sauce over cabbage and serve.