Cabbage Embraces Its Smoky Side

Cabbage takes on a starring role in this standout dish from Ox Bar & Hearth, a live-fire cooking restaurant with a Midwestern sensibility. The Charred Cabbage proves just how compelling a simple ingredient can be when thoughtfully composed. It delivers a balance of richness, texture and brightness, turning a familiar vegetable into something craveable and memorable.

Brined cabbage is steam-roasted until tender with a slight bite, then finished over the hearth to bring out its natural sweetness and a subtle smoky edge. It’s paired with a brown butter-miso hollandaise that adds a creamy, nutty depth, while puffed wheat berries introduce a light crunch. Smoked trout roe brings pops of salinity and smoke, tying the dish together and adding contrast to each bite.

“I’ve always loved cabbage. It has a ton of versatility and an inherent sweetness that is fun to highlight,” says John Asbaty, chef/co-owner. That perspective comes through in a dish that showcases cabbage’s range. “I think the combination of flavors and textures makes this an interesting vegetable dish and elevates a relatively humble ingredient,” he notes, adding, “The trout roe was definitely the element that took it to the next level.” It delivers the final layer of balance that makes the dish resonate.

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