Christmas and New Year’s is around the corner and you are probably scrambling for last minute ideas. I am in a number of mom groups where many have asked for ideas for desserts and sides. I came up with one that was super delicious with grilled meat. There is nothing like having a side dish within 30 minutes.
Cabbage is one veggie I enjoyed eating sauteed and steamed. I decided to test a few recipes by grilling or roasting and finally decided that roasting cabbage made the cabbage taste sweeter especially when using Savoy Cabbage.
While I roasted the cabbage, I also roasted 2 large red onions. They quickly caramelized while the cabbage cooked. I used no pans and cooked a combination of of veggies. I would say this was easy!
The magic and key to this dish is Mahón-Menorca cheese.This cheese is made from menorcan cow’s milk (pasteurized or raw) and is exclusively matured on the island of Menorca. It is , accordinging to their site, “a Protected Denomination of Origin (P.D.O.) based upon the geographic and distinct climate factors including its temperature, humidity, light, wind and salty pastures, and its ancient farming methods mastered by generations of the Menorca family farms.”
It has been a while since I have enjoyed Spanish cheese and I was happy to receive 3 different types of cheeses to try and to create recipes as part of a challenge. Here are the type of cheeses:
- Mahón-Menorca Tender – cheese that has been cured for 21-60 days. The cheese is covered in oil and paprika during its ripening period. The flavor profile is like butter with a taste of nuts.
- Mahón-Menorca Semi-Cured – cured for 2-5 months. It is firm to the touch but easy to cut and has a slight buttery reminiscence of toasted nuts and dried fruit.
- Mahón-Menorca Vintage or Mature – cured more than 5 months – it is a hard cheese with an intense flavor. When cut, it breaks off in small pieces.
After I tried all three cheeses, I decided to shred the semi-cured cheese and add to the roasted shredded cabbage. It was SUCH a wonderful combination especially with the caramelized onions. The key to testing this dish is introducing a new dish to your family and see if they give it a thumbs up.
It was a hit.
Make this Spanish Roasted Cabbage for Christmas or New Year’s and pair it with a smoked brisket just like we are enjoying.
Spanish Roasted Cabbage with Caramelized Onions
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 20
Ingredients (6 servings)
- 1 large Savoy cabbage ( about 2lbs) sliced in medium chunks
- salt
- pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 onion powder
- 2 red onions, sliced
- 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup Mahon-Menorca semi-cured cheese, shredded
- balsamic reduction (optional)
Instructions
Heat oven to 400F. Grease 1 small baking sheet and one large baking sheet. Add sliced red onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil.
In the large baking sheet, add the sliced cabbage to the pan. Drizzle with the 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil. In a small bowl, add the garlic, onion, paprika and mix well. Sprinkle over the cabbage. Sprinkle with 2 pinches of salt and grind fresh black pepper over the cabbage.
Cook both the cabbage and onions at the same time. After 10 minutes, open oven and mix the red onions so they cook evenly. Add 1 Tablespoon of water to the onions. After 15 minutes, remove the cabbage from oven.
Cook onions an extra 5 minutes and remove from oven. Spread caramelized onions over the roasted cabbage and then sprinkle with Spanish cheese.
Add back to oven and cook for another 5 minutes for the cheese to melt. Serve immediately. You can drizzle with balsamic reduction but it is optional.
