Last week our CSA shares included beets, parsley, cilantro, scallions, squash, Swiss chard, lettuce, zucchini, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes. Mariana, your faithful CSA coordinator, and I joined Shaina and Erin, who you met in previous posts, in Shaina’s backyard for another night on the grill.
Simplicity was the word of the hot, hot night in Brooklyn. Everything we made was grilled or raw. We grilled beets and Swiss chard – seasoned simply with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon – and a salad of cucumber, cherry tomatoes, grilled romaine, and basil with wholegrain mustard. Erin brought two lightly smoked pork chops from Heritage Meats that we grilled as well.
Funny enough, the star of the menu was an overlooked head of Napa cabbage that was sitting alone in my refrigerator for two weeks. Cabbage keeps well so it was relatively unscathed by my negligence. Erin cut the cabbage into quarters and seasoned it with olive oil, salt, pepper and lemon. Shaina grilled the quarters until they were well marked and just tender throughout, while Erin made a vinaigrette from mashed raw garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, and olive oil.
Dinner was delicious and simple – clean, bold flavors and wonderful textures from mostly raw and lightly cooked vegetables. The charred flavor from the grill enhanced the earthy sweetness of the beets and Swiss chard, so nicely. The acid in the cabbage salad cut the flavor of the grill and the garlic came straight through, creating a flavor evocative of anchovies in Caesar salad. The menu was a nice reminder that grilling is actually an excellent application for utilizing typically raw items like lettuces, greens, and cabbage.
As we passed and ate, we rehashed the triumphs and misadventures of cooking in some pretty exceptional New York kitchens. Stories of discipline, teamwork, and perfectly seasoned mushroom purées, far outweighed ones of hard services and wrist burns. Some of us miss it, others not so much, but one thing is for certain – these girls can cook.
GRILLED CABBAGE SALAD
1 head Napa cabbage
extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 ea lemons, zested and juiced
2 ea garlic cloves, finely grated
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Quarter the cabbage and trim the end and core.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
3. Grill over a medium flame until the cabbage achieves grill marks and the remaining core is just tender.
4. While the cabbage is on the grill, combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl.
5. Remove cabbage from the grill, onto a cutting board. Allow to cool for a minute a two, then cut into 1½” pieces.
6. Add cabbage to vinaigrette and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
