Grilled Caesar Style Cabbage Salad
The downtown area of Detroit has made a comeback in recent years, and now has some lovely boutique hotels and great restaurants. We have enjoyed trying out many of these restaurants, at least one new restaurant each month in fact. One restaurant that we have frequented several times is San Morello, an Italian restaurant within the Shinola hotel. While we have had mixed experiences at San Morello, our last meal there was superb, and I have replicated a number of the dishes at home since.
One unique appetizer we enjoyed was this grilled cabbage dish. Apparently, this cabbage salad is one chef Andrew Carmellini serves at his New York restaurant as well as his new home in the Shinola hotel. Grilling the cabbage adds a smoky flavor and slightly softens the cabbage. However, you do not want to overcook the cabbage as it needs to retain some of its crispness. You do not want a soggy, soft salad after all!
After being marinated in olive oil, salt, and pepper, the quartered cabbage is grilled. After being grilled, the cabbage is coarsely chopped and tossed with a Caesar style vinaigrette while still warm. If you prefer, you could cook the cabbage quarters on the stovetop in a cast-iron skillet instead of grilling it.
This salad is best served warm or at room temperature, which really allows all the flavors to shine. You could serve this cabbage dish as a starter, or as a vegetable side dish. I enjoyed this salad so much, I know I will be making it often in the future. Unfortunately I just couldn’t get decent photos of this delicious dish, but I promise you it tastes great!
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Grilled Caesar Style Cabbage Salad
A unique salad made with grilled cabbage tossed with a Caesar style vinaigrette.
Ingredients
- 2 Small Heads Cabbage (About 2 Pounds)
- 1 Tablespoon Salt
- 1 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
To Finish:
- 10 Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
- 1/3 Cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice
- 6 Oil-cured Anchovies
- 1 Tablespoon Salted Capers, Rinsed & Finely Minced
- 2 Tablespoons Golden Raisins, Finely Minced
- 1/2 Cup Plus 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs
- 1 Cup Finely Grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
- 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Parsley
Instructions
- Cut the cabbage into quarters and place on a large baking sheet.
- Drizzle with the olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper.
- Let the cabbage rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat grill to medium high heat.
- While the cabbage is resting, prepare the vinaigrette.
- In a small bowl, stir together 1 tablespoon minced garlic, lemon zest and juice, anchovies, capers, and raisins until well mixed.
- Slowly drizzle 1/2 cup olive oil into the bowl, whisking until blended.
- Set aside until needed.
- Place the other 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat, then add the remaining minced garlic and cook a minute or two until fragrant.
- Add the Panko and cook, stirring continuously until golden brown.
- Season with salt and pepper, and set aside to cool.
- Grill the cabbage until all the cut edges are charred, about 10 minutes.
- Using tongs, place the cabbage into a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes to soften the cabbage slightly.
- Coarsely chop the cabbage and place in a bowl.
- Add the grated cheese, vinaigrette, and half the Panko and toss to coat.
- Place the cabbage into a serving bowl, top with the remaining
- Panko and chopped parsley and serve immediately.
