French Onion Cabbage Gratin - Testing

https://www.delish.com/cooking/a63393634/french-onion-cabbage-gratin-recipe/ 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/934125715244689

1 - It was good, but the cabbage was a bit flat. What could I do to make it more succulent? Browning at a higher temp? Injecting flavor somehow?

2 - This second attempt was delicious! The changes I made paid off and, as usual, I think the real key is once again to use browning as a key element. A green salad and bread helped balance the meal.

Number of portions: 6

Serving size: ~450 g

Calories per serving: ~550 kcal

Speed: Slow Food

Experienced cook (active time): 1 hr 40 min

Novice cook (active time): 2 hr 15 min

Total elapsed time: 3 hr

LHSS Score: 7.3 / 10

1 small head of green cabbage (about 2 lb.), cut into 1" slices

2 Tbsp. bacon fat

2 Tbsps. (1oz/28gr) butter 

½ cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 tsp Salt 

2 Tbsps. (1oz/28gr) butter 

2 large yellow onions (20oz/570g) thinly sliced into half-moons

1 tsp. salt

2 fresh thyme sprigs

1/3 cup dry white wine

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1½ cups heavy cream

1½ cups milk 

(OR 3 cups ½+½ cream)

1½ cups grated Gruyère (6.3oz/180g) divided

1 or 2 oz crumble Cambozola cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

1. Prep the oven and cabbage: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it. Place the cabbage steaks in a single layer on the pan, leaving some space between them. Brush both sides of each cabbage steak evenly with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip and roast another 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and crispy. For extra crispiness, you can broil for the last 1–2 minutes, watching closely to prevent burning. (I HAD TO COOK 20 MINUTES LONGER UNTIL CENTERS SOFT)
2. First, in a straight-sided, 12" oven-ready skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Add the breadcrumbs and season with 1/4 tsp. salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside and wipe the pan.
3. Melt 2 Tbsps. butter in the pan and cook the onions with the salt, stirring occasionally, until the onions are jammy and deep golden brown, 35 to 50 minutes.
4. Add the fresh thyme and the wine, scraping up the bottom of the pan as the wine loosens the fond. Simmer, stirring, until the liquid is reduced by 1/2 and the onions return to their jammy consistency, 1 to 2 minutes more; season with pepper. Set the onions aside. 
5. In the same skillet over medium heat, melt the remaining 2 Tbsps. of butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until a bubbling blonde paste forms on the bottom of the pan. 
6. Whisk in the cream and milk. Bring to a boil then simmer, stirring occasionally, until reduced and slightly thickened, 5 to 7 minutes. 
7. Fold in 1 cup of Gruyère, the Cambozola and three-quarters of the caramelized onions.
8. Nestle the cabbage in the pan and season all over with 1 tsp. salt. Turn off the heat and let sit 10 minutes.
9. Set the rack in middle of the oven and preheat to 350°F. 
10. Spoon the sauce over the cabbage then top with the remaining caramelized onions, followed by the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and half of the breadcrumbs.
11. Transfer to the oven and bake gratin until cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. Top with the remaining breadcrumbs and thyme; season with pepper, cook another 20 minutes.
12. Serve with green salad and bread.

Guyanese Roti or Paratha - Untested

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/garlic-and-herbs-guyanese-roti-17139789

Garlic and Herbs roti

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus about 1/2 cup for topping and dusting

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup warm water

1/2 cup peanut, grapeseed or sunflower oil

2 Tbsps. salted butter or ghee, melted

OPTIONAL:

8 cloves garlic, grated

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

3 wiri wiri chiles or 1/2 habanero, seeded and finely chopped, optional (how about chipotle in adobo?)

1. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. 
2. Gradually add the warm water and lightly knead. 
3. Knead in 1 teaspoon of the oil into the dough and shape into a ball. 
4. Coat the top of the dough with another teaspoon of the oil, cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
5. Melt the butter and combine with 1/4 cup of the oil. If Using OPTIONAL HERBS: combine the garlic, cilantro and chiles chiles with the oil and butter mixture; set aside.
6. Separate the dough into 5 pieces and shape into balls. 
7. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a flat disk about 1/8 inch thick. Leaving 1/2 inch of the edge uncovered, spread 1 Tbsp. of the butter and oil mix over the surface of each dough disk. 
8. Sprinkle about 1 Tbsp. of flour over the surface.
9. For each disk of dough, make a slit from the center to the edge, then fold/roll the dough into a cone. Tuck the ends of the cone into the bottom and push the tip of the cone into the middle to make a ball. This is called a roti loi or loya. Repeat for the remaining balls of dough.
10. When ready to cook, pre-heat a skillet over medium heat.
11. Before frying, roll out one of the balls of dough to about 8 inches in diameter. 
12. Add to the skillet and cook for 30 seconds, then flip and brush with oil. 
13. Flip again and brush again with oil. 
14. Flip another time and cook for another 30 seconds. 
15. Remove from the heat and clap immediately. To clap the roti, place the roti in a clean kitchen towel, then squish together in a clapping (accordion type) motion. This will create lots of flaky layers. Traditionally roti is clapped hot off the tawa with bare hands. Repeat with the remaining roti loi/loya.
16. Serve the roti with your favorite curries or enjoy them hot with a dab of ghee or butter.