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Braised Cabbage and Carrots

Cook Time:
2 hrs
Prep Time:
15 mins
Servings:
6-8
RATE THIS RECIPE
(25)

Chef notes

Cabbage is often steamed in Jamaica and served alongside oxtail, jerk chicken or rice and peas. It functions as a counterbalancing cooling element to spicier food. I personally have always found steamed cabbage to be bland. So, to give it some flavor, I braise it in coconut milk, add the acidity of citrus and a punch of ginger-garlic purée, then mount the vegetables with a good amount of butter, a trick lifted from French culinary kitchens. The result is a soothing, creamy-but-light accompaniment that can stand its own against the aggressive flavors of jerk and not be overshadowed.

This will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Ingredients

Ginger-Garlic Purée
  • 2 large stems ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
  • cups garlic cloves
  • 3/4 cup grapeseed oil
Cabbage and Carrots
  • grapeseed oil, for greasing pan
  • 1 medium head green cabbage (about 2½ pounds), julienned
  • 4 medium carrots (about 1/2 pound), peeled and shredded
  • 6 tablespoons ginger-garlic purée (recipe above)
  • 2 yellow onions, diced
  • 12 ounces coconut milk
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
  • freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste

Preparation

For the ginger-garlic purée:

Combine all the ingredients in a high-powered blender or food processor and process until smooth.

For the cabbage and carrots:

1.

Heat the oven to 300 F and grease an oven-safe pot or 9- by 13-inch baking pan with oil.

2.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, carrots, ginger-garlic purée, onions, coconut milk and salt.

3.

Transfer to the prepared pot or pan and cover tightly with foil (if using a pot, you can just use the pot lid).

4.

Transfer to the oven and cook for 1 hour 40 minutes.

5.

Carefully uncover the pan. The cabbage should be translucent and very tender.

6.

Drop a few pieces of butter into the hot vegetables and stir constantly to melt the butter and emulsify the mixture.

7.

Repeat until you've added all the butter.

8.

Season with lemon juice and salt to taste and serve.