Caraflex Cabbage With Whipped Sesame, Brown Butter, + Hazelnut Vinigrette
FROM THE KITCHEN AT SOSO'S NYC
serves 1-2
INGREDIENTS
1 large Caraflex cabbage
1 1/4 cups good-quality tahini
1/4 cup premium white soy
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, plus zest
1 1/4 cups water
4 cups unsalted butter, preferably French
3/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup champagne vinegar
1 2/3 cups extra-virgin olive oil
roasted hazelnuts
fresh chervil
fresh chives
kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Prepare the cabbage. Remove any damaged outer leaves. From the core, cut thick steaks (about two fingers wide) across the cabbage. The core will hold the slices together. (Thicker cuts give a meaty, protein-like texture.) Prepare a 6 percent brine: dissolve a half of a cup of salt in warm water, stir until fully dissolved. Submerge cabbage steaks in the brine for ten hours or overnight. For the Whipped Sesame: combine in a blender or bowl and whisk the tahini, soy, lemon zest, about five tablespoons of lemon juice, and water, and blend until smooth, light, and velvety. Make the Brown Butter Vinaigrette. Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally, whisking as milk solids caramelize. Cook until the butter turns a deep golden brown, with the aroma of roasted nuts (think a New York City nuts cart). Strain and let cool to room temperature in a liquid state, not solid. Whisk together the brown butter and a third of a cup of lemon juice, the champagne vinegar, the olive oil. Keep warm. If it sets, gently rewarm before serving. Lightly crush the roasted hazelnuts, leaving some fine and some chunky in texture. A food processor pulsed briefly works well. Set aside. Cook the cabbage. Remove cabbage from brine, pat dry with a towel. Steam until tender for fifteen to twenty minutes, or until a skewer slides through easily. Heat a pan with olive oil over medium-high. Sear the cabbage steaks on one side until deeply caramelized. Flip, then transfer to the oven at 350 degrees for five minutes to finish roasting. Spread two tablespoons of whipped sesame onto each plate. Place a cabbage steak on top. Toss chervil, chives, and hazelnuts with brown butter vinaigrette. Spoon over the cabbage. Finish with a generous drizzle of vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
