Chefs' Recipes

Automata’s roasted red cabbage with bonito butter

"The bonito sauce is rich, subtle and smoky with nice acidity from the sherry vinegar to cut through it," says Clayton Wells.

By Clayton Wells
  • 10 mins preparation
  • 25 mins cooking
  • Print
    Print
Automata’s roasted red cabbage with bonito butter
"I like to cook the cabbage in the frying pan, basting it with the butter, until it's very tender," says Wells. "But if it's easier, you could brown the cabbage in the pan and finish cooking it in the oven. The bonito sauce is rich, subtle and smoky with nice acidity from the sherry vinegar to cut through it."

Ingredients

  • 1 small red cabbage
  • 100 ml grapeseed oil
  • 100 gm unsalted butter, diced
  • Bonito flakes, to serve (see note)
Bonito butter sauce
  • 25gm bonito flakes
  • 50 ml dashi stock base
  • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
  • 175 gm unsalted butter, diced

Method

Main
  • 1
    Halve cabbage through the core, then cut each half into 3 wedges. Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add cabbage and cook, turning once, until golden brown. Add butter, season to taste and cook, turning occasionally, until tender and well browned (4-5 minutes).
  • 2
    Meanwhile, for bonito butter sauce, blend bonito flakes to a powder in a small blender, then combine in a small saucepan with dashi, vinegar and 225ml water. Bring to the boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and whisk in butter, a cube at a time.
  • 3
    Serve cabbage wedges drizzled with bonito butter sauce and scattered with bonito flakes.

Notes

Note Bonito flakes are available from Asian supermarkets and grocers.
Drink Suggestion: 2015 Smallfry "Tangerine Dream" blend, Barossa Valley, South Australia. Drink suggestion by Clayton Wells & Abby Meinke