Cabbage Porterhouse

Cabbage Porterhouse

 

Marc Forgione, executive chef and partner at American Cut in Manhattan, rests thick, center-cut slices of cabbage in a honey-balsamic marinade before grilling them like a slab of beef. “What you’re looking for,” said the chef, “is the nice caramelization and then, almost like a steak, you can have different temperatures. If you cook it ‘rare,’ you’ll have a little more texture. Or for ‘well-done,’ you might want to mark it on the grill and throw it in the oven for 10 minutes until it’s really falling apart.”

 

 

·         1 large red cabbage, end trimmed and discarded

·         1 clove garlic

·         Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

·         1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking

·         ¾ cup balsamic vinegar

·         1 tablespoon honey

·         Chopped fresh thyme, basil or oregano, for garnish

 

1.        Slicing vertically from core to root, cut two (2-inch-thick) slices from center of cabbage. Remove the loose outer leaves from each slice. Reserve remaining cabbage for another use.

2.        Make marinade: Use a mortar and pestle or the flat side of a heavy knife to smash garlic and a pinch of salt to a coarse paste. Stir in olive oil, balsamic vinegar and honey until combined.

3.        Brush marinade all over cabbage slices. Transfer cabbage and remaining marinade to a large Ziploc bag or large covered bowl. Chill in refrigerator at least 2 hours and up to overnight, flipping occasionally to evenly coat cabbage with marinade.

4.       

When ready to cook, heat grill to medium-hot and brush grates with oil. (Alternatively, slick a grill pan with oil and set over medium-high heat.) Remove cabbage from Ziploc bag, reserving marinade. Season cabbage generously with salt and pepper.

5.        For “medium-rare” cabbage: Grill cabbage until charred, 8–10 minutes per side. For “well-done” cabbage: Once charred, move cabbage to a cooler part of the grill or transfer to a baking sheet, place in a preheated 350-degree oven, and cook 10–15 minutes more.

6.        To serve, drizzle with reserved marinade, then garnish with herbs and salt to taste