Young Charred Cabbage with Caper, Olive, Tarragon Tapenade
Tapas, spread, dipping sauce—there are numerous ways this tarragon-infused olive tapenade can enhance your dishes. Its varying shades of green offer an appealing visual, while its blend of salty, tangy, and sweet flavors elevates even the most basic vegetables like green cabbage or cauliflower.
In this recipe, I’m using young cabbage, which has tender, sweeter leaves, making it the perfect canvas to showcase this spoon-licking good tapenade. This delicious condiment can be whipped up in just a few minutes and might become your new secret ingredient!
Table of Contents
Chronicles of Capers
Many are curious about what capers really are. We see them in small gourmet jars, sold in specialty stores and served in restaurants. Surprisingly undemanding, capers are shrubs that can thrive in rocky terrain – growing on the rocks, inside cracks, vertically on walls, horizontally near roads. I was surprised to see how many I found on my Spring walk through the city of Yerevan, Armenia (see photos below).
The capers that are sold in jars are the unopened flower buds of the prickly caper bush that thrive in Mediterranean countries like Italy, Spain, and Greece, as well as in regions such as Asia, the Caucasus, and the Crimea and grows like a weed.
While these buds are inedible in their raw state, they undergo a marinating process to unlock their full potential. Through salting, capers shed their natural bitterness and reveal their true essence.
With a distinctive spicy, slightly piquant, and fragrant profile complemented by a subtle sour note, capers enhance the flavor spectrum of dishes. Originally native to Africa and certain parts of Asia, caper bushes now flourish on an industrial scale in warm-climate countries like Spain, Italy, Greece, and southern France.
Harvesting caper buds is a meticulous manual task. While both small and large buds are edible, smaller ones tend to offer superior taste and nutritional value. After harvesting, the buds are sun-dried, then preserved using vinegar and salt. The acidification process is completed over three months, resulting in the tangy, spicy flavor characteristic of pickled capers.
The leaves and berries are also used in food and medicine. The young marinated fruit is another condiment and gourmet ingredients found in specialty stores. The ripened fruit resembles a watermelon (in much smaller scale), with green outer-skin, red flesh and black tiny seeds.
In Greece, the young leaves and shoots are pickled and used in salads. Interestingly, the leaves can be used as a plant based rennet in cheese making.
Incorporating capers into everyday dishes elevates them from mundane to extraordinary, infusing them with originality and flair. Similar to monosodium glutamate, capers act as a natural flavor enhancer, intensifying the taste of the base ingredients while heightening the sensitivity of the palate.
What’s unique about this Recipe?
Grocery and Pantry List
Time Required:
Bake in 420°F(200°C) the preheated oven.
Special Tools to Use:
Recipe Steps at a Glance
The caper-tarragon tapenade recipe can be broken down into the following steps:
Step-by-step: How to Make Caper-Olive Tapenade
Step 1: Preparing the cabbage
Spring cabbage is a loose-leaf cabbage that has tender leaves and smaller core. Try cutting into wedges so each wedge is attached to a core.
Spread the cabbage wedges out onto a large sheet pan in a single layer. Brush on the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then spread back into a single layer. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes or until it’s nicely bronzed and crisped around the edges and slightly softened in the center.
If you are using older cabbage, or you prefer a much tender outcome, you can briefly blanch the cabbage wedges in a boiling salted water.
Step 2: Chopping the capers, olives and herbs
Remove the leaves of tarragon by holding and pulling down the stem. Pinch the tender leaves from the top. Chop the tarragon and parsley leaves. Chop the olives and capers in a food processor. If you want chunky consistency, add the olives gradually and pulse briefly instead of running the food processor.
Step 3: Making the tapenade
In a small bowl combine chopped olives and capers, tarragon, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil. Add the seasoning chili flakes, black pepper, and salt to taste.
Step 4: Serving the roasted cabbage
Transfer the roasted cabbage wedges on a plate and spoon the tapenade on each wedge.
Best Way to Serve
Tips and Wisdom from Cafe Osharak
More Recipes To Try From Cafe Osharak
If you give this recipe a try, I’d be thrilled to hear from you! Let me know if you find it delicious and easy to make. Feel free to reach out with any questions or suggestions. I’m here to help. And be sure to check out other recipes from Cafe Osharak that you might enjoy!
More fresh and vibrant spring recipes.
Young Charred Cabbage with Caper, Olive, Tarragon Tapenade
Ingredients
- 1 head cabbage
- 2 cups green olives
- ¼ cup fresh tarragon or parsley
- 1 tablespoons capers
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon chili flakes optional
Instructions
Preparing the Cabbage
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Spring cabbage has tender leaves and a smaller core. Cut the cabbage into wedges, ensuring each wedge remains attached to the core.
- Spread the cabbage wedges out onto a large sheet pan in a single layer. Brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then arrange back into a single layer.
- Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 15 minutes or until the edges are nicely bronzed and crisp, and the centers are slightly softened.
- Optional: If using older cabbage or if you prefer a more tender outcome, briefly blanch the cabbage wedges in boiling salted water before roasting.
Making the Tapenade
- Remove the tarragon leaves by holding the stem and pulling downwards. Pinch off the tender top leaves.
- Finely chop the tarragon and parsley leaves.
- Chop the olives and capers in a food processor. For a chunkier consistency, add the olives gradually and pulse briefly instead of running the processor continuously.
- In a small bowl, combine the chopped olives, capers, tarragon, lemon zest, lemon juice, and olive oil.
- Add chili flakes, black pepper, and salt to taste. Mix well.
Serving the Roasted Cabbage
- Transfer the roasted cabbage wedges to a serving plate.
- Spoon the tapenade over each wedge.
- Enjoy your delicious roasted cabbage with fresh, flavorful tapenade!
