Roman Cabbage
Boiled cabbage with a savory dressing, herbs, and spices
City/Region: Rome
Time Period: 1st Century
In ancient Rome, people thought cabbage could cure anything from dysentery to baldness. The vegetables they were using for these miracle foods were sometimes tight heads of cabbage like green or red cabbage, but were much more often leafier varieties similar to bok choy, Napa cabbage, or kale. Use whatever you like for this recipe.
The cabbage here is really a blank slate for the dressing and toppings. The dressing is a kind of broth that has wonderful umami notes from the garum, and the chopped leeks on top add a bit of heat. Each of the spices pop out and make for a very complex tasting dish. It may not cure dysentery, but it’s tasty nonetheless.
“Cabbage another way:
Arrange the boiled cabbages in a dish, dress with garum, oil, wine, cumin. Sprinkle with pepper, chopped leeks, caraway-seed, and fresh coriander. ”
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds (1 kg) cabbage, I used baby bok choy
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garum*
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) sweet white wine
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped leek**
- Caraway seeds**
- Cilantro, chopped**
*See notes below.
**Use amounts according to your tastes.
Instructions:
- Remove any discolored leaves from the cabbage. Trim the stems and separate the leaves so that you can wash them thoroughly.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the cleaned cabbage. Boil for 90 seconds, or until the stems are tender. Take the cabbage out and set it aside in a dish to cool.
- In a saucepan, whisk together the garum, olive oil, cumin, and wine. Bring it to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for about 3 minutes.
- After the dressing has cooked, pour it over the cabbage, making sure each piece is covered in it. Top it with pepper, chopped leek, caraway seeds, and cilantro, and serve it forth.
Notes
- Garum was a fermented fish sauce that was used in a lot of ancient Roman cooking. You can buy a modern equivalent or use an Asian fish sauce.
- Link to modern garum: https://amzn.to/3ulTKKW
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