This recipe has been another one that has been floating around the back of my mind to make, and when cabbages came into season and arrived in full force in my latest CSA box, I knew now was the time to make it. This recipe is perfect for the wintertime and ideal for the holiday season: it’s super warm, incredibly rich, and loaded with aromatics, cream, and cheese. This recipe transforms the humble cabbage from its usual coleslaw application, and makes this ingredient turn into an incredibly luxurious meal. Adding cream and cheese never hurt anything, but it really dresses up the cabbage into a side that is perfect for any special occasion or holiday meal.
While this recipe is truly far from being healthy, it was purely decadent and really, really good. This would not make its way into my day to day rotation, but it was really nice to make as a special treat. It also involves some steps and time to make, so give yourself a couple of hours to assemble this if you want to add it to a holiday menu. There is a pre-roasting step, where the cabbage is pre-browned to build flavor and evaporate out some water to prevent a soggy cream sauce. There is a sauce building step, which honestly I skipped however I would advise not being like me and really make a nice sauce. This step involves infusing the cream with the aromatics (garlic, shallots, herbs) by simmering it all together, then blending to make an emulsion and smooth sauce. I simply added all of the ingredients to the final baking dish along with the cabbage and topped with the cream, which lacked the cohesion that I would have gotten if I wasn’t being so darn lazy (and thinking I could out-smart the recipe). Finally, there is a second roast where all of the flavors in the sauce and the cabbage get to know each other, and a final broil to melt the added cheese at the very end.
Is this a lot of work to make some cabbage? Yes. Was it really good and very worth it (for a special occasion)? Yes. This is a fun recipe if you are looking for a little project and want something decadent as a side to your Christmas meal, and I would definitely recommend this for your holiday table. Link to the recipe here and below! Picture of my final product up top!
Happy Christmas menu planning, friends!
Make It! Cheesy Cabbage Gratin from Bon Appetit
Want some other ideas for a holiday menu? Explore these previous posts for inspiration!
Posted by 
Claire Aucella 