One of my favourite cabbages (if having a favourite cabbage is even a thing?) has to be the hispi. Sweet, tender, and arriving just as the weather starts to warm, it lends itself wonderfully to the beginning of salad season.
I think hispi is beautiful simply roasted as is. But it really comes into its own when smothered with my brown butter dressing. It might not be the most photogenic dish you make this week, but it will almost certainly be one of the most delicious.
This recipe makes a generous amount of dressing, so you’ll have plenty left over. Simply spoon it into a jar and refrigerate – it will keep well for 2–3 days.
BROWN BUTTER HISPI CABBAGE SALAD
Salad season has arrived, and hispi cabbage makes the perfect base for a warm, crispy salad. I've paired it here with one of my all-time favourite brown butter dressings – super delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 small, or 1 large hispi cabbage thinly sliced
- olive oil
- 2 tbsp capers
- 15 g panko breadcrumbs
- 10 g pine nuts
- 4 sprigs lemon thyme leaves only
- 400 g jar cannellini beans drained & rinsed
- salt & freshly ground black pepper
for the dressing
- 150 g unsalted butter
- 1 shallot very finely chopped
- 1.5 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1.5 tbsp maple syrup
- 25 ml sherry vinegar
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 200°c (fan assisted)/425°f/gas 7.
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Combine the sliced hispi cabbage, a really good glug of olive oil and a nice pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to give everything a mix, then pour out between two baking trays and roast for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the cabbage is turning crisp at the edges.
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Meanwhile, you can make the dressing. Melt the butter in a small frying pan over a low-medium heat. Let it bubble and crackle, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter is covered with a layer of foam and the underneath has turned a golden brown. This will take 5–6 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
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In a jug, whisk together the shallots, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, sherry vinegar and a good pinch of salt. Slowly drip in the brown butter, whisking all the time as you do, until the dressing is creamy and emulsified. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if needed.
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Next, make the crispy capers. Heat a good glug of olive oil in a small frying pan over a medium heat. Once hot, pat the capers dry with kitchen towel, and add them to the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp and browned. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and onto a plate lined with kitchen towel, to soak up any excess grease.
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Finally, combine the panko breadcrumbs, pine nuts and lemon thyme in a dry frying pan over a low-medium heat. Fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden and toasted (watch the pan carefully here as they can turn quite quickly).
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Toss the roasted hispi cabbage and cannellini beans with a generous spoonful or two of the dressing. Serve between bowls and finish sprinkled with the crispy capers, toasted breadcrumb mixture and a good crack of black pepper.
If you missed my first instalment of ‘Year of the Cabbage’, you can find my January King Cabbage Gratin here. And if you’re looking for more recipe inspiration, check out my Instagram.
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