Rainy Day Grilling
How to add some barbecue flavor even when it's pouring.
I love a cookout, whether it’s one I’m throwing or when I’m a guest at another. What I don’t love, however, is how the weather can derail my carefully laid plans. Case in point: it’s looking like yet another washout of a weekend here in the New York City area, which is a bummer, considering I’m heading to the beach with my daughter and several of her friends. I planned to barbecue burgers and dogs for everyone, but am switching gears to serve up what my family lovingly refers to as Italian Night. Pasta to the rescue!
Late spring in the Northeast tends to be a crapshoot, with wet weather being the variable that threatens to invoke the dreaded rain date for any backyard get-together. (I never want the rain date! That’s why I chose the original date!) But when I want to add a taste of charred goodness to my menu, a lifetime of unpredictable late May weather has prepared me well to work around any atmospheric challenges and to think creatively about what to make. One such dish that I whip up often, that’s perfect to feature at home or to bring to a cookout, is grilled cabbage. Yes, that’s what I said. Grilled cabbage!
There are many things to love about cabbage; it’s plentiful in grocery stores from early spring through the fall and it’s fairly inexpensive. Grilling adds another dimension to it, as cabbage caramelizes like a dream as it blisters over the heat. But here’s the thing: while it’s delicious to eat right off the barbeque, grilled cabbage stores amazingly well in the fridge and lasts for days without losing its flavor or crunch. So whenever the forecast calls for rain, I take advantage of any clear skies before a deluge and cook up a big batch to save for later.
My recipe below is pretty basic, but the options to jazz it up are endless…I’ve added simple touches like ground pepper and red pepper flakes, I’ve mixed in things like pine nuts and caraway seeds, I’ve included all kinds of cheeses from feta to parm to pecorino, and I’ve dressed it with soy sauce and sesame oil and balsamic vinegar and olive oil and lemon juice (not all of this stuff at once, but you get the point), among many other modifications. I serve this dish as a side, but I also feature it as a main, depending on what I’ve added in. This recipe is the epitome of a blank canvas as far as flavoring, so don’t be afraid to try what you think would taste good.
Grilled Cabbage
Serves 8 or so
One large head or two small heads of cabbage, any variety (approximately 2½-3 pounds total)
3 cloves garlic, minced (approximately 2 teaspoons)
¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt
Any type of cabbage will work: green, purple, Napa, Savoy. I typically use two small heads, one each of Savoy and purple, to add some variety in color, taste, and texture. This dish is delicious to eat as soon as it’s ready—I usually sneak a few pieces right off the cutting board when it’s hot, because it’s that delicious—but you can also make it days ahead. To serve after refrigerating, let it come to room temperature, or you can hotten things up in the microwave—zap it for 15-20 seconds at a time and toss until it reaches desired temperature.
Preheat your grill. Peel off the outer leaves and slice the cabbage head vertically into thick steaks, each about 1” wide. Stir together the olive oil and garlic; spoon the oil mixture on both sides of the cabbage steaks (you can also use a brush), and season each side with kosher salt. Grill on high heat for approximately 4-5 minutes per side, until the cabbage is deeply caramelized. Flip steaks and cook until other side is also caramelized. Remove from grill and transfer to a cutting board. Cut out any stem pieces, then roughly chop the steaks into large yet bite-sized pieces. YUM.