Braised Cabbage

Cook Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 small cabbage (1–1.2kg sugarloaf, sweetheart or small savoy)

80g butter

1 tbsp olive oil

Salt

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

40g currants or raisins

1L chicken stock or vegetable stock

2 thyme or marjoram sprigs

1 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

60g roasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

Yoghurt-hummus base

125g Greek yoghurt

110g hummus

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp olive oil

Pinch of salt

½ tsp sumac

To Serve

1 tbsp honey or hot honey, to serve

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Trim any rough outer leaves from the cabbage, then cut it into equal quarters through the core, keeping the core intact so each piece stays together.

Melt the butter and olive oil in a large ovenproof pot or roasting pan over medium heat. Place the cabbage in the pan, cut-side down, season with salt, then sauté until browned on both cut sides.

Remove and set aside. Add the garlic and cook gently until fragrant. Stir in the currants, then pour in the stock and bring to a simmer.

Nestle the cabbage quarters into the pan, cut-side down. Tuck the thyme or marjoram around them. Spoon some of the buttery stock over the top. Cover tightly with foil or a lid and place in the oven. 

Bake for 45 minutes, basting once or twice. Remove the foil and continue to bake the cabbage, uncovered, for another 20–25 minutes, basting occasionally, until the cabbage is very tender and the edges are golden.

Meanwhile, for the base, combine the yoghurt, hummus, lemon juice, olive oil and salt in a small bowl. Swirl gently – don't fully mix. Spoon onto a large serving platter and use the back of a spoon to create a wide, swooshed base. Sprinkle with the sumac.

Once the cabbage is ready, transfer the quarters gently to the platter. Stir the vinegar and a pinch of salt into the remaining pan juices, then spoon them over the top.

Scatter with roasted hazelnuts and drizzle with honey and extra-virgin olive oil to finish.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months.