Cabbage is having a moment.
Upscale restaurants across the United States are giving the vegetable a spotlight, often making it the central element of vegetarian dishes.
"Right now, they're fashionable," food policy analyst Corby Kummer said in an interview with Boston Public Radio. "I went to a restaurant last night in Washington called Annabelle, a very expensive, very luxurious restaurant. The one vegetarian entree is [$30] roasted cabbage."
A New York Times article from earlier this week delved into cabbage's rise in popularity, citing chef Alon Shaya as one of the early trendsetters. Shaya's charred cabbage with hazelnut muhammara [red pepper dip] and tahini can be found on the menu of Shaya in New Orleans — where he was formerly a chef — as well as his restaurants Saba in New Orleans and Safta in Denver. In 2018, the dish made its way to Chicago where chef Paul Kahan added it to the menu of The Publican after trying Shaya's variation.
Kummer told Boston Public Radio that he has visited The Publican and Shaya, where he tried the now much sought-after dish.
"These look like pieces of sculpture — they're beautiful on a plate. They're soft. They're sweet. They're luscious. They go with lots of different kinds of foods," Kummer said.
With St. Patrick's Day on the horizon, the leafy vegetable is also experiencing a broader surge in popularity, so expect to see it on the menu of your local pub and on display at the grocery store.
For the holiday it's often served in a more humble fashion, paired with corned beef. The Irish American dish can be found all over Boston this time of year. Time Out Boston listed places to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, including corned beef and cabbage at South Street Diner or even in pizza form at Bardo's Bar Pizza.
