I am almost certain you have already seen it piled on market stalls or tucked among the vegetables at the supermarket, without knowing what it was called. My farmer friends explained that this cone-shaped cabbage, sweeter and crisper than the round variety, is known in Italian as cavolo a cuore, crauto a cuore, or even cavolo cuore di bue.
If none of these names mean much to you, its English name may sound more familiar: hispi cabbage. In recent years, it has become increasingly popular in the UK, both at markets and in restaurants.
I first came across hispi cabbage in a recipe by my beloved Nigel Slater. Just as I was wondering whether I would ever manage to find it here too, there it was, in all its fresh beauty, on Valentina’s market stall.
She immediately sang its praises: “It is more tender, sweeter—you have to try it!” Since then, whenever I see one, it ends up in my straw shopping bag. Over the past few months, it has also become one of the side dishes I make most often during our cooking classes, as an alternative to the usual tomatoes. (It makes also a great salad when shredded and mixed with grated carrots).
It is delicious alongside roast chicken, sausages or pork ribs, but I also like to serve it as a main dish, finished with green olives and a little crumbled goat’s cheese.
Serves 4 to 6
1 hispi cabbage
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more to finish
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon water
1 generous pinch fine sea salt
6 tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano
2 tablespoons coarse breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F.
Cut the hispi cabbage into 8 wedges and arrange them on a lightly oiled baking tray.
In a small bowl, whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, mustard, water and a generous pinch of salt until smooth and creamy. Brush the mixture over the cabbage wedges, then sprinkle with the Parmigiano Reggiano and breadcrumbs. Finish with another drizzle of olive oil.
Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cabbage is tender and deeply golden, with caramelised edges. Serve hot or warm.
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