Braised Cabbage.JPG — Purple Cabbage with Toasted Pumpernickel Crumble

**By Chadwick Boyd**
PHOTO By Tom Ebersol

A Non-Traditional Crunch Wakes Up This Veggie Side

I love red or purple cabbage, yet most recipes I have found prepare it pretty much the same way with lots of butter and apple cider vinegar. As I played around with how I like to cook it, I realized I prefer the cabbage cooked in mostly olive oil rather than butter. As a result, you'll taste the cabbage better and the dish isn't as heavy. Earthy caraway seeds also add a nice depth. The pumpernickel topping carries that caraway touch all the way through, and hazelnuts add a meaty crunch. Lemon juice and zest wake it all up just before serving.

Chadwick’s Checklist

What you need to know before you cook.

Stale pumpernikel bagels or bread works best for toasting.
Have the cabbage sliced into 1/8" ribbons before you start cooking.

SERVING SIZE: 6-8 PREP TIME: 20 mins ACTIVE TIME: 20 mins

Ingredients

For the cabbage

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium size red cabbage (about 2 lbs.), sliced about ⅛” thick
1½ teaspoons sea salt
¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1½ tablespoons caraway seeds
Juice from ½ lemon

For the crumble

2 slices pumpernickel bread or 1 large pumpernickel bagel, torn into pieces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
¼ cup chopped hazelnuts
Zest from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley
¼ teaspoon sea salt

Directions

Heat the oil and butter in a Dutch oven on medium-high heat, about 2 minutes until it shimmers.
Add the cabbage. Toss with tongs to coat with the oil-butter mixture. Sauté 7-8 minutes until the cabbage starts to wilt. Add the caraway seeds, salt and pepper. Toss again.
Turn the heat down to medium. Cover. Cook for 15 minutes until the cabbage is soft and fragrant. Stir occasionally.
Meanwhile, make the crumble.
In a small chopper or food processor fitted with the steel blade, add the bread. Pulse 30-45 seconds until it forms pea sized crumbles.
Heat a skillet on medium for 2 minutes. Add the butter and let it melt. Place the crumbles and the hazelnuts in the pan. Stir with a wooden spoon to evenly coat the pieces. Toast about 7-8 minutes until the crumbles are crispy and the nuts are slightly browned. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the zest, parsley and salt.
Add the lemon juice to the cabbage. Stir completely. Place the cabbage on a platter. Top with the crumble.
Serve.