Gochujang Brown Butter Cabbage Gratin
The humble cabbage gets a flavor boost with this cheesy gratin and spicy hit of Korean gochujang that brings a touch of kimchi vibes. Brushing the cabbage with mayonnaise increases the browning (and the flavor). This dish is a perfect vegetarian main along with a crusty baguette or a perfect side to chicken or fish. Make sure to serve hot out of the oven.
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
1 head cabbage, cut into 8 wedges with stem intact
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
3 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
⅓ cup gochujang, plus more for serving
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
6 oz melting cheese mix (any combination of fontina, cheddar, gruyere, mozzarella)
¼ cup grated parmesan
¼ cup chopped parsley, for garnish
METHOD
Preheat oven to 400F and place rack at top third of oven.
Brush cut sides of cabbage with mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Set aside. In a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, melt 2 tbsp butter until a pale nutty golden brown, approximately 3-4 minutes. Place prepared cabbage wedges, cut side down and overlapping so all wedges fit. Don’t worry if they don’t, as the cabbage cooks it will shrink down and you’ll be able to adjust the wedges. Cook until bottom of cabbage is browned—approximately 5-6 minutes.
In the meantime, in a small bowl, mix gochujang and garlic. After 5-6 minutes, brush cabbage with gochujang mixture, dot the top with remaining 1 tbsp butter and drizzle with olive oil. Place in oven and roast for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheeses. Return to oven for 10 more minutes until cheese is bubbly and deeply browned. If needed, broil for 1-2 minutes.
Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately with gochujang alongside.