Charred Cabbage Wedges Over Charcoal

Method

1. Cut through the core

   Quarter or sixth the cabbage lengthways, making sure every wedge keeps a piece of the core. The core is what holds the leaves together over a forty minute cook; cut it out and you will be chasing loose leaves through the coals.

2. Oil into the layers

   Brush oil or melted butter generously over the cut faces and work some down between the outer leaves. Season heavily on all surfaces. Cabbage takes far more salt than people expect.

3. Indirect first, 30 minutes

   On the cool side with the lid on at around 190°C (375°F). Turn the wedges onto each cut face partway through. You are cooking it through to tender here, which takes time; the char comes later.

4. Check with a knife

   A knife into the thickest part near the core should meet only slight resistance. Undercooked cabbage that has been charred is a common and unpleasant result, so make sure it is genuinely tender first.

5. Blacken over the coals

   Move the wedges cut-side down directly over the bank for four to five minutes. You want real blackening on the flat faces, not gentle colouring. The bitterness of the char against the sweetness of the cooked cabbage is the whole dish.

6. Dress while hot

   Whisk the yoghurt, tahini, lemon and grated garlic with a splash of water into a loose sauce. Spoon it over the hot wedges so it warms and loosens, then scatter almonds, chilli and dill.

Notes worth knowing

• Hispi and sweetheart cabbage are sweeter and cook faster. A dense white cabbage needs closer to 45 minutes indirect.
• Cook these alongside a two-zone meat cook. They want the same fire and they will happily sit on the cool side while a chicken finishes.
• Any leaves that fall off and blacken completely are the best part. Do not throw them away.

Common questions

Can I do this with other vegetables?

Yes. Little gem, radicchio, fennel, leeks and spring onions all take the same treatment, though they need much less indirect time. Anything dense and sugary works; anything watery like courgette wants direct heat only.

Why does my cabbage burn before it softens?

You are cooking it over direct heat the whole time. Cabbage needs a long gentle indirect phase to soften and only a few minutes of direct fire at the end.