Weekend Recipe: Grilled Cabbage

Grilled cabbage can be a wonderful thing. The natural sweetness of the leaves combined with the barbecue smoke and the Cook's Country lemon vinaigrette makes this a flavorful side dish. Fans of cabbage will love this recipe, but it just might win over those who were on the fence about the leafy vegetable, too.

Grilled Cabbage
Serves 4

Leave the core intact so the cabbage wedges don't fall apart on the grill.

Salt and pepper
1 head green cabbage (2 pounds), cut into 8 wedges through core
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 teaspoons minced shallot
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Sprinkle 1 teaspoon salt all over cabbage wedges and let sit for 45 minutes. Combine thyme, shallot, honey, mustard, lemon zest and juice, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Slowly whisk in oil until incorporated. Reserve ¼ cup vinaigrette for serving.

For the charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (6 quarts). When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.

For the gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Turn all burners to medium.

Clean and oil cooking grate. Brush 1 cut side of cabbage wedges with half of vinaigrette. Place cabbage on grill, vinaigrette side down, and grill, covered for gas grill, until well browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Brush tops of wedges with remaining vinaigrette; flip and grill, covered for gas, until second side is well browned and fork-tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Transfer cabbage to platter and drizzle with reserved vinaigrette. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.