Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Easy Sweet Cabbage with Tahina Harra
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
PT15M
PT30M
PT45M
Serves:
4 as a main, 6 as a starter
Chris created this dish for America's Culinary Cup Season 1. This easy home version keeps the two flavour engines that made the original sing: deeply charred, sweet-glazed cabbage and a bold, spicy tahini sauce. The judges called the roasted cabbage the star of the plate, and here it takes centre st...
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Ingredients
FOR THE CABBAGE:
1 large savoy or hispi (sweetheart) cabbage, about 2 lb / 900 g
3 tbsp olive oil
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE DATE-HONEY GLAZE:
3 tbsp date molasses (silan)
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
A good pinch of chilli flakes
Pinch of salt
FOR THE TAHINA HARRA (SPICY TAHINI):
1/2 cup / 120 g tahini
3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1 fat clove garlic, grated or crushed to a paste
1/3 cup / 80 ml cold water (more as needed)
2 tsp harissa paste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
TO FINISH:
3 tbsp pine nuts (or flaked almonds)
A handful of parsley and/or mint, roughly chopped
Pomegranate seeds (optional)
Olive oil and a final pinch of chilli flakes
Method
STEP 1: ROAST THE CABBAGE
Heat your oven as high as it will go (250C / 500F, or your max) and put a heavy roasting tray or baking sheet in to heat with it. Cut the cabbage through the core into quarters (for mains) or 6-8 wedges (for starters), keeping the core attached so each wedge holds together. Brush all over with olive oil and season well with flaky sea salt and pepper. Lay the wedges cut-side down on the hot tray, leaving space between them, and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until the edges are deeply charred and the centre is tender when poked with a knife.
STEP 2: MAKE THE GLAZE
While the cabbage roasts, warm the date molasses, honey, butter, cider vinegar, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt in a small pan over low heat, just until the butter melts and it turns glossy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
STEP 3: MAKE THE TAHINA HARRA
In a bowl, whisk the tahini with the lemon juice and garlic. It will seize up and look thick and broken, which is normal. Whisk in the cold water a splash at a time, pushing through the seized stage, until it loosens into a smooth, pourable sauce. Whisk in the harissa, ground cumin and salt. Taste: it should be bright, garlicky and warm with chilli, bold enough to stand up to the sweet cabbage. Loosen with a little more water if it stiffens.
STEP 4: TOAST THE NUTS
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking often, until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Watch closely as they burn in seconds, then tip onto a plate.
STEP 5: GLAZE AND FINISH
Brush the roasted wedges all over with the warm glaze and return to the oven for 4-5 minutes, until bubbling and lacquered. Do not leave them longer as the sugars burn fast.
STEP 6: PLATE
Spread a generous spoonful of tahina harra across each plate as a bed. Sit a glazed cabbage wedge on top, charred-side up, and spoon over any leftover glaze. Drizzle with more tahina harra, then scatter with pine nuts, herbs and pomegranate seeds. Finish with a thread of olive oil, a pinch of chilli flakes and a flake of salt. Serve straight away.
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Instructions
FOR THE CABBAGE:
1 large savoy or hispi (sweetheart) cabbage, about 2 lb / 900 g
3 tbsp olive oil
Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE DATE-HONEY GLAZE:
3 tbsp date molasses (silan)
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
A good pinch of chilli flakes
Pinch of salt
FOR THE TAHINA HARRA (SPICY TAHINI):
1/2 cup / 120 g tahini
3 tbsp lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
1 fat clove garlic, grated or crushed to a paste
1/3 cup / 80 ml cold water (more as needed)
2 tsp harissa paste
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
TO FINISH:
3 tbsp pine nuts (or flaked almonds)
A handful of parsley and/or mint, roughly chopped
Pomegranate seeds (optional)
Olive oil and a final pinch of chilli flakes
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: ROAST THE CABBAGE
Heat your oven as high as it will go (250C / 500F, or your max) and put a heavy roasting tray or baking sheet in to heat with it. Cut the cabbage through the core into quarters (for mains) or 6-8 wedges (for starters), keeping the core attached so each wedge holds together. Brush all over with olive oil and season well with flaky sea salt and pepper. Lay the wedges cut-side down on the hot tray, leaving space between them, and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once, until the edges are deeply charred and the centre is tender when poked with a knife.
STEP 2: MAKE THE GLAZE
While the cabbage roasts, warm the date molasses, honey, butter, cider vinegar, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt in a small pan over low heat, just until the butter melts and it turns glossy, about 2 minutes. Set aside.
STEP 3: MAKE THE TAHINA HARRA
In a bowl, whisk the tahini with the lemon juice and garlic. It will seize up and look thick and broken, which is normal. Whisk in the cold water a splash at a time, pushing through the seized stage, until it loosens into a smooth, pourable sauce. Whisk in the harissa, ground cumin and salt. Taste: it should be bright, garlicky and warm with chilli, bold enough to stand up to the sweet cabbage. Loosen with a little more water if it stiffens.
STEP 4: TOAST THE NUTS
Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking often, until golden, about 2-3 minutes. Watch closely as they burn in seconds, then tip onto a plate.
STEP 5: GLAZE AND FINISH
Brush the roasted wedges all over with the warm glaze and return to the oven for 4-5 minutes, until bubbling and lacquered. Do not leave them longer as the sugars burn fast.
STEP 6: PLATE
Spread a generous spoonful of tahina harra across each plate as a bed. Sit a glazed cabbage wedge on top, charred-side up, and spoon over any leftover glaze. Drizzle with more tahina harra, then scatter with pine nuts, herbs and pomegranate seeds. Finish with a thread of olive oil, a pinch of chilli flakes and a flake of salt. Serve straight away.
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