Oyster Oyster’s Chef Rob Rubba is the maestro of making vegetables sexy, even cabbage
/Cabbage Yes! Three recipes to for tantalizing cabbage cookery
Chef Rob Rubba in front of his restaurant, Oyster Oyster, in DC’s Shaw neighborhood.
By Aparna Krishnamoorthy | Photography by Jennifer Chase
Kimchi, sauerkraut, coleslaw, pickled, fermented, sautéed or stuffed, cabbage is a staple food around the world—but it’s not a vegetable that many people get excited about. Perhaps because of the often bland and insipid versions of the vegetable, or the perception that it is dull or boring, it has not yet enjoyed the recent popularity of its cruciferous cousins kale and Brussels sprouts.
Chef Rob Rubba of Shaw’s plant-centric Oyster Oyster, though, is an unapologetic fan of cabbage and is using it in surprising ways and combinations. “Its versatility in taste and texture allows for showcasing it in a number of different preparations,” Rubba says. “Through these recipes at Oyster Oyster, we want to show the deliciousness of a vegetable that can generally be considered mundane.”
Almost all regions of the world grow cabbage and use it in some form: pickled curtido from Central America, West African groundnut stew, Korean kimchi, British bubble and squeak, the European stuffed cabbage and many more. In my South Indian home, the most common preparation is cabbage thoran—shredded cabbage steamed and then lightly sautéed with a hint of fresh ginger, grated coconut and a tempering of mustard seeds.
I’ve always been a fan of cabbage, but even if you are not, these recipes from Chef Rubba will likely convince you to see cabbage in a different light. With the cabbage turnover—an all-vegetable, no-starch dumpling—he wants to bring out the “flair of the cabbage as much as possible.” This light preparation is paired with sweetness from apple and saltiness from oysters. The charred cabbage shows a completely different side of the vegetable in look and feel as well as taste: The cabbage is roasted but tender and slightly bitter, and the entire dish is meant to produce a variety of contrasting textures from the creamy yogurt, crunchy peanuts, fresh herbs complementing the crisp cabbage.
But if you really need to ease into a cabbage recipe, the pizza is the best place to start. “We all have familiarity with pizza, and the cabbage in this is fun and festive,” Rubba says. “It’s different enough to be exciting but comfortable.”
Dedicated to sustainability, Oyster Oyster only sources local ingredients from small farms and co-ops in the Mid-Atlantic, including its cooking oil. All of its to-go packaging is truly compostable. The core idea is to explore Mid-Atlantic agriculture through vegetable cookery. Cabbage fits well into this spirit too.
“It cellars very well. And with good growers who can see it through a winter, it develops sweetness through the frost. Cabbage becomes exceptional and not just a utility vegetable. This is part of the Oyster Oyster ethos of working with the farmer,” Rubba explains. “It’s easy to grow, does not need much maintenance, and overall is good for the environment too. Mid-Atlantic produce in winter can still be exciting and cabbage needs to be given a try! That is the inspiration behind these recipes.”.
Oyster Oyster: 1440 Eighth St. NW, Washington, DC | Open for takeout Tu–Su 5:30–8pm; pre-order only via Tock.
All the Cabbages for Edible DC
By Chef Rob Rubba
Dish #1: Cabbage Turnover
Oyster, Apple, Black Walnut
Ingredients
12 oysters, freshly shucked*
1 King January cabbage or Savoy cabbage (6 outer cabbage leaves will be steamed, remaining cabbage will be thinly sliced)
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 large shallots, smallest dice you can do
8 ounces butter
½ cup white wine
¼ cup chopped walnut pieces
¼ cup chopped black walnuts
2 tablespoons white miso or black walnut miso (I prefer White Rose miso)
2 apples, peeled and in a small dice
1 ounce apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
1 large bunch flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Brassicas flowers
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cabbage Wrap
Turn the cabbage head so the stem side is facing up.
Using a paring knife, cut off the 6 outer leaves starting with outermost leaf. Carefully peel off each outer leaf.
Lay the 6 cabbage leaves flat on a steamer and/or simmer in water for 5–8 minutes. Thinly slice the rest of the cabbage.
Once the 6 outer leaves are cooked, lay flat on a towel to pat dry and set aside in refrigerator
Cabbage Filling
In a large sauté pan, on medium heat, add the thinly sliced cabbage and onions. Turn the heat to high and add the half cup of white wine, allowing the wine to cook down to au sec.
Add 6 ounces of the butter, stirring often. The goal is to slowly wilt down the cabbage until tender. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook 10–15 minutes, but check on this to make sure it’s not burning or getting too much color.
Once the cabbage is creamy but still holds its shape and outer structure, add 1 tablespoon of black walnut miso. Fold it in to homogenize it into the mixture. (Note: This is the salt in the mixture; at the restaurant we like to use preserved and fermented ingredients for salinity rather than sea salt or kosher salt. This adds depth and reinforces the flavor profiles.)
Take it off the heat. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and mustard. Reserve the mixture in a bowl or food-safe storage container.
Black Walnut Persillade
In a pan over medium heat, add the remaining butter, shallots and both types of walnuts. Once the nuts are toasted and shallots appear translucent, add a teaspoon or less of miso. Mix in the parsley and remove from the heat.
To Finish and Assemble
Lay out blanched cabbage leaves on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Fill ½ of each leaf with cabbage filling. (At the restaurant we cut the leaves with a large ring cutter and the trimmed cabbage is added to the filling.
Place 2 of the shucked oysters in the cabbage filling of each leaf like eggs in a nest. Fold over the top of the cabbage leaf so you have a half moon. Place the sheet tray of cabbage turnovers in 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
Remove the tray and spoon the walnut persillade onto each turnover. Place back in the oven for 5 more minutes.
Remove from the oven and serve using a spatula to lift each turnover onto a plate. Garnish with mustardy yellow brassicas flowers that are in season, found often at the farm market. Finish with a few splashes of vinegar if you’d like.
Dish #2: Cabbage Pizza with Black Truffle, Smoked Cheddar, Cabbage
This dish is all about simplicity and just the right ratios.
Ingredients
Pizza dough (store-bought or from your favorite ’za shop, or make your own—it’s not hard!)
1 quart thinly sliced cabbage (any type works: Savoy, Napa, red, green, even Brussels sprouts)
1 shaved black truffle
½ cup chopped cremini mushrooms
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
Red chili flakes, to your liking
1 clove garlic, grated on a Microplane
Olive oil
1½ cups smoked cheddar (or look for smoked provolone or mozzarella)
Pickled chervil leaves
½ cup ice cubes
Preheat oven to 425°F.
On an oiled sheet tray, spread out the pizza dough. Round or rectangle-ish grandma-style works. Allow to proof with a damp kitchen towel covering the dough for 25–35 minutes.
In a medium bowl, lightly season the cabbage, onion, cremini mushrooms and garlic with salt, pepper and the chili flakes. Massage this mixture with your hand for a few minutes and allow to sit for 20 minutes; this will allow flavors to combine and removes excess moisture.
Add the cabbage mixture to pizza dough, evenly distributed. Cover with the cheese. Put the tray with pizza into the oven on the middle rack. Pour ice cubes onto bottom of the oven; this will create steam as it melts. Reduce oven temp to 375° and bake for 15–20 minutes. Garnish with chervil and shaved black truffle and some cracked black pepper.
Dish #3: Spicy Potatoes and Cabbages: Yogurt, Peanuts, Fresh Herbs
If you want to light up the grill, this is a great way to cook cabbage. The caramelization of the leaves is a great contrast to the sweetness of cabbage and gives great textural contrast.
Ingredients
10–12 crescent fingerling potatoes
1 bunch thyme
4 cloves garlic, skin on
3 ounces apple cider vinegar
Spice paste (recipe below)
Hard grilled or roasted red cabbage
¼ cup chopped roasted peanuts
Picked dill
Picked cilantro
1–2 cups grass-fed full-fat whole-milk yogurt
Spice Paste Elements
4 cloves garlic
½ cup olive oil
½ cup gochujang
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 tablespoons toasted coriander seed
1 teaspoon toasted caraway seed
¼ cup white wine vinegar
The Potatoes
Rinse potatoes to remove any soil. Place cleaned potatoes in a saucepan with the thyme and garlic cloves. Cover with cold water. Bring potatoes to a boil over high heat, then turn down to a simmer for about 10 minutes. Check with a fork or cake tester for tenderness. Turn off the heat, add the vinegar to cooking water and allow potatoes to sit for 10–20 minutes.
Strain potatoes and cut them lengthwise into halves and quarters. Reserve.
The Roasted Cabbage
Slice the red cabbage into ½-inch rings as if it were a loaf of bread. Season the slices with oil and salt.
Place onto your hot grill (it’s very important that the grill is very hot), char each side of the cabbage for about 1½–2 minutes on each side. Remove from grill and season with black pepper. Reserve.
No grill? That’s what ovens are for. Preheat oven to 425°F. On a parchment-lined sheet tray, add the seasoned cabbage slices. Place sheet tray on the oven floor (the base, not a rack; this is very hot, and we will get the caramelization we want).
After about 4 minutes flip cabbage slices and repeat, but turn off your oven at this point. Move to middle rack and let the cabbage chill out for 5 more minutes in the turned-off oven. Remove from oven and reserve.
The Spice Paste
Sauté the garlic cloves in the olive oil. Let cool.
Place all ingredients including the garlic oil in a blender. Blend on high speed until smooth. Reserve.
To assemble:
In a mixing bowl, toss the potato and charred cabbage with spice paste; start with a few tablespoons and then add more if you want.
In a serving bowl, spoon a nice healthy dollop of yogurt. Place potato-cabbage mixture on top. Sprinkle on the peanuts and herbs
Enjoy!
About Chef Rob Rubba
About Chef Rob Rubba
A native of Southern New Jersey, surrounded by pinelands, bay and shore, Chef Rob Rubba always found himself tangled in nature. While majoring in fine arts in college, Rubba soon found a new passion one summer when he immersed himself in the culinary world working as a pastry cook. This new exposure created a drive for Rubba to learn from and work for the best. He landed in several highly regarded kitchens under the guidance of chefs such as Gordon Ramsay, Guy Savoy, Laurent Gras and the late Charlie Trotter. It also opened opportunities to travel and cook abroad in Japan, Spain, France and Iceland.
After cooking in several major cities around the country, Rubba landed in Washington, DC in 2013, cooking at several Neighborhood Restaurant Group concepts. In the summer of 2016, Chef Rubba opened restaurant Hazel, which immediately garnered local and national acclaim. Demonstrating global cuisine, Hazel was awarded 2.5 stars from the Washington Post, a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide the following year, Best New Restaurant from Washington City Paper and Restaurant of the Year (2017) award from the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan DC. A vegetarian since 2017, Chef Rubba left Hazel to focus his efforts on developing Oyster Oyster, a new restaurant that draws inspiration from the Mid-Atlantic bounty and focuses on seasonal/sustainable vegetable cookery. He is also a co-founder of @bakersagainstracsism
Follow him @robrubba
