Cheesy Cabbage Gratin with Gruyère and Mozzarella
By Emma Collins
Prep
15 min
Cook
35 min
Total
50 min
Servings
6
Level
Medium
Cheesy cabbage gratin can be made in advance: Bake the cabbage wedges and make the white sauce. Put together the gratin before serving. I make the side dish of cabbage wedges with melted Gruyère and mozzarella cheese.
I save the cabbage core to keep the wedges together as I cut eight cabbage wedges. I bake the cabbage at 400°F (200°C) and serve it with white sauce. Baked cabbage produces water. Baking the wedges before serving helps ensure that the cabbage doesn't water down the white sauce. The cabbage wedges hold their shape fairly well when served in rows, some leaves stay attached to the wedges.
The roux needs about a minute to brown and develop a nutty flavor. At that point, milk and cream are stirred into the roux. I grate my own Gruyère and mozzarella (about a minute) because pregrated cheeses often contain chemical additives to prevent clumping. Spread it all the way to the rim to ensure the cheese mixture covers and bubbles against the edges.
After the sauce bubbles around the inner edges, broil the cheese for 2 to 3 minutes to brown and blacken it. I allow the lasagna to stand 5 to 10 minutes before topping with fresh parsley and crushed black pepper. Suitable accompaniments include Parmesan-crusted chicken and steak au poivre.
Why this recipe works
- One saucepan is used to prepare the white sauce while the cabbage is cooking in the oven. Other activities can be done at the same time to avoid needing a second saucepan.
- Cheese reaches the edge of the dish. Cheese melts and browns at the edge of the dish.
- Parsley and cracked pepper are added to the dish after cooking to keep the cheese topping visible on the finished dish.
- The sauce tends to collect at the edges inside the pan and helps hold the slices of pie together while providing sauce.
- Six servings make this recipe suitable for a large meal. You don't need to manage a separate vegetable pan.
Ingredients
- •1 medium green cabbage (about 2 lb / 900 g, cut into 8 wedges with core intact)
- •1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
- •1 ½ tsp kosher salt (9 g, divided)
- •3 tbsp unsalted butter (42 g)
- •3 tbsp all-purpose flour (24 g)
- •1 ½ cups whole milk (360 ml)
- •½ cup heavy cream (120 ml)
- •3 cloves garlic (minced)
- •¼ tsp ground nutmeg (0.5 g)
- •1 cup Gruyère cheese (100 g, freshly grated)
- •1 cup mozzarella cheese (100 g, freshly grated)
- •2 tbsp fresh green parsley (5 g, finely chopped, for garnish)
- •1 tsp coarse black pepper (2 g, for garnish)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- 2
Slice the cabbage into 8 even wedges, keeping the core intact.
- 3
Set the wedges on a baking sheet, brush them with the olive oil, and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
- 4
Roast for 15 minutes.
- 5
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
- 6
Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, until it smells nutty and looks light golden.
- 7
Slowly whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream.
- 8
Stir in the garlic, nutmeg, and remaining salt, then simmer until a thick white sauce forms.
- 9
Lightly grease an oval white ceramic baking dish.
- 10
Arrange the roasted cabbage wedges in overlapping layers in the dish.
- 11
Pour the warm white sauce over the cabbage, working it into the crevices and around the inner edges.
- 12
Combine the Gruyère and mozzarella, then spread the cheese over the cabbage all the way to the rim.
- 13
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 15-20 minutes, until the sauce actively bubbles around the inner edges.
- 14
Switch to the broiler and broil for 2-3 minutes, until the cheese is golden-brown, charred, and crispy.
- 15
Rest the gratin for 5 to 10 minutes.
- 16
Sprinkle with the parsley and coarse black pepper, then serve while the cheese is hot and stretchy.
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