Winter is when the grill slows down and starts to behave in a different way. I use the embers more as the heat settles into the coals, and the ingredients that do well are ones that have grown tough skins and deep hearts: cabbages, potatoes, vegetables used to weathering the cold. We associate winter with these kinds of root vegetables, of course. But it’s also a time for bright and vibrant citrus fruit, and new season olive oil.
At my restaurants we treat vegetables as if they were fish from the coast or meat from the hills. We give them time by the fire. We let smoke, salt and heat transform them, then pair them with flavours that belong to the same landscapes: crab pulled from cold water, smoked roe, burnt lemon, onion caramelised until it collapses.
Grilled winter cabbage with warm crab custard is a dish I have had on my menu for years in various forms. Steam rises from bitter brassica leaves. Sweet crab meat and burnt lemon brings the sharpness. There is char and sweetness in equal measure. The charred potatoes with smoked cod roe and brown butter come from the same world. Embers do most of the work: blistering the skins, softening the centres, giving you that gentle smokiness. Then you add roe cream, onion oil and the nutty warmth of brown butter, which gives a richness cut with acidity and heat held in balance.
These dishes are home versions of Brat favourites, celebrating what fire teaches you in winter: to slow down, let things take the time they need and build flavour from smoke, salt and good ingredients treated with care. My advice is to put these in the middle of the table with some bread and allow everyone to join in.
Grilled winter cabbage with crab mayonnaise and burnt lemon oil
Serves 2-3. Ready in 45 minutes.
cabbage (January king or savoy) 1, small, outer leaves left on
olive oil
sea salt
white crab meat 200g
dill fronds to serve (optional)
warm sourdough to serve (optional)
For the burnt lemon oil:
lemon 1, halved
olive oil 2 tbsp
For the brown crab mayonnaise:
egg yolk 1, very fresh
Dijon mustard 1 tsp
white wine vinegar or lemon juice 1 tsp
sea salt a pinch
neutral oil (rapeseed or grapeseed) 150–200ml
brown crab meat 150g
cayenne a pinch
Heat the oven to 180C/gas mark 4. Set a frying or griddle pan over a medium heat.
Halve the cabbage through the core, keeping it intact. Rub lightly with olive oil and salt. Grill cut-side down on the hot griddle until blistered. Transfer to a roasting tray, season, and place in the oven. Cook for 20-30 minutes until the heart is tender and the outer leaves are blackened and brittle. Set aside to rest.
Pick through the white crab meat to look for and remove any shell, then season with a small amount of lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside.
For the lemon oil, grill the lemon halves cut-side down on the same griddle, until blackened. Squeeze their juice into a bowl and whisk it together with olive oil.
To make the brown crab mayonnaise, whisk together the egg yolk, mustard, vinegar or lemon juice, and salt. Drizzle in oil slowly, whisking constantly until emulsified. Adjust the acidity and seasoning to taste. (If it splits: whisk a new egg yolk in a fresh bowl and slowly incorporate into the mixture.)
Press the crab meat through a sieve to remove grit, then fold gently into the mayo. Adjust seasoning to taste, adding a pinch of cayenne if you like.
Generously spoon the crab mayonnaise on to a serving plate. Cut the cabbage into bite-size wedges, arrange on the mayo, then scatter the white crab meat over the top. Finish with burnt lemon oil and serve with warm sourdough, if you like.
Charred potatoes with smoked roe, brown butter and burnt onion oil
Serves 2–3 as a starter. Ready in 35-40 minutes.
At Brat, we do a dish where we grill a piece of bread and smother it in smoked cod’s roe. Its sweet, salty and acidic flavour goes so well with the charred smokiness of these potatoes.
small waxy potatoes 600g
bay leaf 1
olive oil
sea salt flakes
smoked cod’s roe 120g
crème fraîche 80ml
lemon juice 1 tbsp
white pepper a pinch
garlic 1 small clove
butter 70g
dill or chives to serve (optional)
charred lemon halves to serve (optional)
smoked chilli a pinch to serve (optional)
For the burnt onion oil:
onion 1, halved, skin on
neutral oil (rapeseed or grapeseed) 60ml
Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6. Boil the potatoes in salted water with the bay leaf for 15 minutes, until just tender. Drain in a colander and set aside to steam dry. Gently crush each potato so cracks form, then toss with olive oil and sea salt.
Char in a dry hot pan until blistered and deep golden, about 5 minutes, then move to a roasting tin and roast in the oven for 10 minutes, until golden brown.
For the onion oil, place the onion halves cut-side down in a dry hot pan. Cook until blackened and collapsing, about 10-12 minutes. Roughly chop, then add to a pan with the oil and heat until gently warm for 5 minutes (but do not boil), then strain.
Add the roe to a bowl along with the crème fraîche, lemon juice, white pepper and olive oil. Grate the garlic clove and rinse in a sieve under cold water. Add to the mixture, then whisk or blend until combined – it should not be too thick, just loose enough to fall from a spoon.
Melt the butter in a pan until it foams and turns nutty and golden. Remove from the heat and add a pinch of salt.
Spread a generous layer of the roe cream on a plate and pile the charred potatoes on top. Spoon over the brown butter so it runs into the roe, and drizzle a little of the burnt-onion oil to finish. If you like, scatter some dill or chives, and smoked chilli, and serve with charred lemon wedges for squeezing over.