Ditch The Lettuce For A Rich, Satisfying Wedge Salad

The wedge salad is a steakhouse staple and a dinner party classic — fast, easy, and crowd-pleasing. A simple combination of (usually) iceberg lettuce, dressing, and whatever toppings you might fancy, it's a versatile and affordable side dish that's a tried and tested success. But, like any classic dish, there's always room for a little innovation. Iceberg is crunchy and a great vehicle for dressing, sure, but it can be a little bitter and watery, and doesn't really bring much distinctive flavor of its own to the party. If we're honest, the lettuce tends to detract from dishes, rather than improve them. Fortunately, one simple swap can take your boring old iceberg wedge salad from a played-out classic to a showstopping side dish: Leave the iceberg in the fridge and use cabbage instead.

Cabbage is hardly the most exciting ingredient out there, we'll admit that. But that's only because many people don't make the most of it. There's so much flavor in this humble vegetable: It's savory, sweet, vegetal, and buttery, all at once. And when you roast it, particularly green cabbage of all the types in this case, it becomes the basis for a truly legendary wedge salad. First things first, the flavor is seriously upgraded when cooked. Roasting caramelizes the natural sugars in the cabbage, resulting in a subtly sweet, surprisingly complex flavor profile that pairs particularly well with a sharp, creamy dressing. The texture gets an upgrade, too. Roasting cabbage wedges gives you a nice range of textures, with tender leaves at the center (which still have a little bite) and crispy, crunchy, charred edges that lend your salad complexity.

Like many of the most simple ingredients, cabbage can be done well, and done badly. In this case, it doesn't take much to nail a perfectly roasted wedge of cabbage, but there are a few things to consider to ensure consistency and a perfect texture. The first? How you prep your cabbage for roasting. The key here is to keep your cabbage from falling apart and keep the wedges hearty. Cabbage is at its best when prepared in a rustic way so don't worry too much about refinement here. 

Cut your cabbage into big, thick wedges, keeping the root intact, which will help hold everything together as it roasts (you can always remove it prior to serving, if you like). Season your wedges and get them into a ripping hot oven. The heat is important here if you want to achieve that perfect crispy char on the outside of your cabbage, whilst keeping the inside moist and tender. If you want to guarantee the best texture, try giving your cabbage wedges a good sear in a skillet before you put them in the oven. This will help to ensure you avoid overcooking the interior of your wedges before you get enough color on them. 

Flavor-wise, keep things simple and savory — salt, pepper, and olive oil are all you need, but a little paprika and garlic or onion powder won't hurt. Finally, finish things off with a squeeze of lemon — cabbage benefits from an acidic boost just before serving to help cut through the richness of the roasted veg. When done properly, the wedges will form the perfect base for a salad — sturdy enough to hold dressings, cheesy crumbles, and crispy toppings.

Cabbage is wonderful, in part, due to its versatility as an ingredient. As the base of a wedge salad, it can be the jumping-off point for a number of delicious flavor combinations that you can tailor to your tastes. If you're going for a Mexican menu, for example, why not drizzle your cabbage with a chipotle crema and sprinkle over some cotija cheese and roasted corn for a southwestern salad to remember. You could also put a Mediterranean spin on your wedge salad, topping your roasted cabbage wedge with toppings like tzatziki, Kalamata olives, oregano, and roasted peppers — and of course top-quality extra virgin olive oil. Crumbling some feta cheese over the top will bring tang and creaminess, while some thinly sliced red onion cut through any richness with a little extra acidity and bite that'll really bring the whole dish together.

You could also keep things classic — a simple combination of blue cheese dressing and bacon crumbles can be just as delicious as the more out-there versions of a wedge salad. But if you want to keep things traditional yet still a little elevated, why not add some crispy fried onions or shallots to the mix, along with some toasted walnuts. These toppings will bring a warmth and depth to the salad that should complement the roasted cabbage perfectly and round out the sharper elements of the dressing, resulting in a wonderfully balanced dish that'll be the star of your next dinner party.