Recipe of the Week: Grilled Cabbage Steaks

Cabbage is indeed an underrated vegetable, but it’s incredibly versatile and nutritious! Cost-effective and easily available year-round, cabbages are a healthy green that deserves more attention for being delicious and nutritious. No matter what the occasion, cabbage will amp up the texture, flavor, and color of every meal.

Grilled Cabbage Steaks

These smoky cabbage steaks make a hearty side dish, but they're also substantial enough to serve as a vegetarian main dish if you add a grain or some beans. Our easy herb sauce made in the blender is light, bright and very versatile. If you have any leftovers, it can serve as a salad dressing or a drizzle for other grilled foods.

2 cups lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
2 cups lightly packed fresh parsley leaves
2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
1 medium jalapeño, stemmed and coarsely chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lime (2 Tbsp. juice)
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. honey
Salt
1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 medium head green cabbage
½ tsp. ancho chile powder
¼ red onion, thinly sliced

Prepare a grill for medium heat. If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for 15 minutes. Combine 1 1/2 cups of the cilantro, 1 1/2 cups of the parsley, and the garlic, jalapeño, lime juice, rice vinegar, and honey, with 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender and blend on high until smooth. With the blender running, drizzle in the oil in a slow stream to make a very smooth sauce. Transfer to a serving bowl and season with more salt, if needed. 

Remove any loose leaves from the exterior of the cabbage and set it on its stem end. Cut a thin piece off one side of the cabbage to make it flat; then slice a thin piece off the other side of the cabbage. (Reserve the pieces for another use.) Slice the cabbage vertically to make 4 thick steaks, each about 3/4- to 1-inch thick.  Lay the steaks on a baking sheet and stick a skewer horizontally through any that are not holding together. Brush both sides of the steaks with olive oil and sprinkle with the lime zest, ancho powder, and 1 teaspoon salt.

Grill the steaks, covered, moving them occasionally so they cook evenly, until charred and crisp-tender, 6 to 7 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter, brush the tops lightly with olive oil, and remove any skewers you used. Coarsely chop the remaining 1/2 cup cilantro and 1/2 cup parsley. Drizzle about half of the sauce over the cabbage. Sprinkle with the herbs and red onion and serve the remaining sauce on the side. 

Contributed by Jill Rozier
Lake Tahoe Markets
www.LakeTahoeMarkets.com