The fastest way to tasty vegetables + a delicious 20 minute hispi-cabbage

Since all of us should eat more vegetables but none of us have time to waste

I love vegetables. I want at least one with every meal. Which means I’m constantly on the lookout for the fastest, least annoying way to get them on my plate.

Oven roasting is great, but my oven takes approximately 2–3 business days to heat up. And boiled veg? Fine, but it makes me feel like I’m in flavour-prison.

So I fall back on a move I call: the steam-sizzle™

Hispi cabbage, white cabbage’s edgier younger sister, turns into a very tasty meal in less than 20 minutes

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✨ The Weekly Zhuzh

The steam-sizzle, aka the fastest way to make vegetables taste good

This technique gives you the best of both worlds. The browning of roasting and the speed of steaming – all in one pan, in about five minutes.

It’s especially good when you already have a pan going, like if you just seared a piece of meat and want to throw in some veg while it rests. No extra dishes (I know you love it when there are no extra dishes)

Here’s how it works:

1. Heat a skillet (any kind, I like carbon steel, cast iron, or stainless).

2. Add a good glug of olive oil.

3. Add your veg, season with salt, and fry until lightly browned.

4. Add 30- 60 ml of water (depending on what veg and how much), cover with a lid, and steam until tender.

5. Done.

This works with loads of vegetables, especially ones that:

• Taste better with browning

• Need longer than a minute to stir-fry

• Can handle a bit of steam without going soggy

A few vegetables that work great

Start them all in the pan, brown one side, then add water and steam according to these times:

• Broccoli florets: halve or quarter, steam 2 min

• Cauliflower florets: same as above, steam 3 min

• Green asparagus and green beans: Steam 1 minute

• Cabbage wedges: steam 5-6 min

Okay, so now you are ready to turn this into a full-blown meal:

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The Nudge 🍽️

Steam-sizzled hispi cabbage with hummus and lots of tasty bits

This dish looks like something you’d pay a minor fortune for at a trendy vegan restaurant, but is actually really easy to make. The steam-sizzle gives the cabbage that succulent roasted vibe without waiting 45 minutes for the oven.

Makes 2 portions in less than 20 minutes

You’ll need:

• ½ hispi cabbage, cut into quarters

• 1 can chickpeas, drained

• 1 tub store-bought hummus

• 1 Persian cucumber (or regular), cubed

• A handful of fresh herbs (dill, coriander, mint, etc.)

• Some toasted nuts (almonds, pistachios or walnuts are great)

• 2 tbsp tahini

• 1 tbsp vinegar or citrus juice

• Sumac (optional, but pretty and tasty)

Do this:

1. Cook the cabbage: heat a skillet on medium-high with a good glug of olive oil. Add the cabbage wedges, season with salt, and sear until golden on both cut sides (about 2 minutes per side)

2. Once browned, add ~60ml (⅓ cup) water, cover, and steam for 5-6 minutes until tender and the water has evaporated. Remove the cabbage and set aside.

3. Make the tahini dressing: whisk tahini with vinegar or lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and water (1 tbsp at a time) until it’s pourable. Set aside.

4. Warm the chickpeas: in the same pan, add the drained chickpeas. Season with whatever spice mix you like (I used ras el hanout, but cumin + paprika + coriander powder is great). Warm through, season with salt.

5. Assemble: spread a generous spoon of hummus on each plate. Add a cabbage wedge. Spoon over the chickpeas. Add cucumber cubes. Drizzle with tahini dressing. Finish with chopped herbs, nuts, and a sprinkle of sumac.

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Introducing The Tool 🍳

I was thinking that it would make sense to add a column in this newsletter where I share my favourite cooking tools. The things that make my cooking better and easier. Let me know if you think this is a helpful addition or not!

I tried so hard to look handsome with my carbon-steel pan but ended up looking like an awkward divorcé dad posing for a dating-app picture

Carbon steel: my favourite frying pan

If I‘d only own one pan, it would be made out of carbon steel. Here’s what I love about carbon steel pans:

• They are versatile and can be used for everything from searing a big steak to tossing pasta

• It’s lighter and heats up quicker, but has all the other great qualities of cast iron

• Once properly seasoned, it’s basically non-stick

• It’s easy to clean and maintain

• It’s cheap and long-lasting

I have a 28cm De Buyer Mineral B carbon steel pan, which you can find for around 50€/$/£. I’ve had mine for 5+ years, and I still use it almost every day.

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That’s all for this week’s Little Feast!
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/Seb