Shelly's Recipe

BRAISED GREEN CABBAGE

Category: Cabbage

1 medium head green cabbage (about 2 pounds)
1 large yellow onion (about 8 ounces), thickly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into 1/4-inch rounds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chicken stock
Coarse sea salt or kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon crushed red-pepper flakes, or to taste

Preheat oven to 325 F. Lightly oil a large gratin dish or baking dish. (A 9- by 13-inch pan works well.)

Peel off and discard any bruised or ragged outer leaves from the cabbage. If the cabbage weighs more than 2 pounds, cut away a wedge of the cabbage to trim it down to size, and save the leftover wedge for salad or coleslaw. (If you don't do this to an oversize cabbage head, the wedges won't fit in the baking dish and won't braise as beautifully.) Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges. Arrange the wedges in the baking dish; they may overlap some, but do your best to make a single layer.

Scatter in the onion and carrot. Drizzle the cabbage with the oil and chicken stock. Season with salt, pepper and the pepper flakes. Cover tightly with foil and slide into the middle of the oven to braise until the vegetables are completely tender, about 2 hours. Turn the cabbage wedges with tongs after an hour. Don't worry if the wedges want to fall apart as you turn them; just do your best to keep them intact. If the dish is drying out at all, add a few tablespoons of water.

Once the cabbage is completely tender, remove the foil and increase the oven temperature to 400 F. Continue roasting until the vegetables begin to brown, another 15 minutes or so. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with sea salt or other coarse salt.

Balsamic vinegar variation: Balsamic vinegar makes this dish even sweeter. After removing the foil, drizzle the cabbage with 1 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar, turning the cabbage with tongs to distribute the vinegar. Roast for another 15 minutes as directed.

Note: This dish is even better made a day ahead.

Makes 8 servings.