Hispi Cabbage, Brown Butter Crispy Garlic + Romesco

This one is for your next dinner party or a special weekend dinner at home, a total showstopper with that irresistible mix of crunch, char, buttery garlic, and a bright, punchy Romesco sauce. Brown butter makes everything better (it really does), and this sauce is so good you’ll want to swirl it through pasta too.

Simple, vibrant, and definitely not boring , this side dish will steal the show.

Serves: 2 as a side
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the cabbage

  • 1 Hispi (pointed) cabbage, cut into 8 wedges

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

  • 10g butter

  • Salt & pepper

For the Romesco sauce

  • 360g roasted red peppers (jarred is perfect)

  • 60g hard cheese (like Parmesan or Grana Padano), grated

  • 50g blanched almonds

  • 3 tbsp olive oil

  • ½ tbsp balsamic vinegar

  • Pinch salt & pepper

For the crispy butter sauce

  • 60g butter

  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 1 tsp fennel seeds

  • ½ tsp chipotle flakes

  • Pinch salt

Extras

  • Handful of crispy onions (optional, but highly recommended for extra crunch!)

Method

1. Make the Romesco sauce Place all the Romesco ingredients into a blender and blitz until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.

2. Cook the cabbage Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 10g butter and 2 tbsp olive oil. Place the cabbage wedges cut-side down to get a nice char. Let them fry for about 4 minutes on one side, then turn over and season well with salt and pepper. Cook for another 3 minutes or so, until tender but still holding their shape. Remove from the pan and set aside.

3. Make the crispy brown butter sauce In a small frying pan over medium heat, melt 60g butter and let it bubble until it turns golden brown and smells nutty (watch it closely so it doesn’t burn!). Add the sliced garlic and gently cook for 1 minute. Stir in the fennel seeds and cook for another minute. Add a pinch of salt and the chipotle flakes, stir through, then take off the heat.

4. Serve Spread a generous layer of Romesco on your serving plate, then pile on the charred cabbage. Spoon over the brown butter garlic sauce, and top with crispy onions if using.

It’s messy, bold, and completely delicious.