Roasted cabbage is the star of the show in this vegetarian Polish dish

Cabbage is having a moment, which means that by default Poland is too, because the cold climate crucifer is basically our national food,” says Queer Eye’s Antoni Porowski, who was born in Canada to Polish parents.

“Cutting it into slabs and roasting it gives it crisp, caramelised edges and a tender bite. Using apple sauce in the vinaigrette is a new trick for a classic store-cupboard staple; its tart, fruity notes bring a sweet brightness to the dish.”

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

For the cabbage steaks:

1 medium red cabbage, trimmed

60ml extra virgin olive oil

½ tsp dried herbes de Provence, thyme or oregano

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

55g walnut pieces

170g quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 bay leaf

For the vinaigrette:

3 tbsp apple sauce

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 tsp honey

¼ tsp salt

⅛ tsp freshly ground black pepper

75ml extra virgin olive oil

3 tbsp raisins, chopped dried apricots, dried cherries or chopped dates

30g fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

Flaky sea salt, such as Maldon (optional)

115g soft goat’s cheese for serving (optional)

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 220C/425F/gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

2. Cut about 1cm from one long side of the cabbage to create a flat edge (so it won’t roll) and place cut side down on the chopping board. Cut four 1cm-thick lengthways slices from the middle of the cabbage outwards (to get the largest pieces) to make cabbage “steaks” (reserve the rest of the cabbage for another use). Arrange the steaks on the prepared baking tray with the core ends towards the corners of the tray so they get the most heat. Brush with the oil. Season with the dried herbs, half teaspoon of salt and quarter teaspoon of pepper.

3. Cover the sheet tightly with foil and roast for 25 minutes. Uncover and continue roasting until the cabbage steaks are golden and tender, 25-30 minutes more.

4. Meanwhile, spread the nuts on a small baking tray and bake until fragrant, seven to nine minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool, then roughly chop.

5. To cook the quinoa, bring 500ml water to the boil in a medium saucepan. Add the quinoa along with the bay leaf, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain any excess water. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the quinoa to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

open image in gallery

6. Whisk together the apple sauce, vinegar, Dijon, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in the oil.

7. When the cabbage is ready, sprinkle the dried fruit over the top, return the pan to the oven, and cook for about five minutes more to plump the fruit a little.

8. Spoon the quinoa onto plates, spreading it out a bit. Arrange the cabbage steaks on top. Drizzle with the vinaigrette. Top with nuts, parsley and, if desired, flaky salt to taste, and then the cheese, if using.

Recipe extracted from ‘Let’s Do Dinner’ by Antoni Porowski (Bluebird, £22; photography by Paul Brissman), out now.