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We finished our front fence a couple of weeks ago (and by we I mean mostly my Dad, although Jonji put in a bit of time too), slats lined up in a perfect row like wooden soldiers guarding their kingdom. We even have a gate; it all feels very official. In other news, Wren is on the move! Last week he went from rocking back and forth on his hands and knees to taking big, slow steps forward, finally achieving his long-term goal of being mobile, and he seems much happier for it. I love entering a room when he’s on the move—a huge smile lights up his face and he immediately plods straight towards me, making an exciting wheezing sound. I wait until his tiny hands hit my feet, then pick him up for a happy cuddle. Another big moment in the O’Regan family: a few days ago my sister Bailey gave birth to her third child so quickly that I missed the delivery by minutes, thinking I had more time to get to the hospital. Cooper was 11 lbs 2 ounces but came rocketing out like he wasn’t one of the biggest babies born in town.

I’ve recently seen glimpses of Fall in the angle of the light, a slight chill in the breeze. The front yard pumpkins are almost entirely orange, the largest plant’s vines turning a mottled yellow and brown; an octopus mother’s last breath as she releases her offspring into the world. But then we get a couple of days over 85°F, I see the tomato plants booming, and it feels like full on summer again.

That being said, cabbage is a friend for all the seasons. It can be dressed up, dressed down, added to stews, roasted, sliced thinly and kept raw for slaw; it can do whatever you need it to do. This cabbage dish is one of my favorite all-time sides. It’s incredibly simple, using mostly staple ingredients and the humble cabbage as a backdrop for some truly punchy flavors. It’s finished off with fresh dill and toasty pecans—a side dish so satisfying it could easily be a main. I’ve adapted this recipe from Andy Baraghani’s book, The Cook You Want to Be; the ingredients are pretty much the same as his, with some varying quantities. The main difference is the method. His calls for searing on the stovetop and then roasting in a medium-heat oven, while mine takes an even simpler direction and uses a hot oven to get a sear while the roasting occurs simultaneously. I give full credit to Andy for the genius flavor combination, but I do feel happier with my streamlined method. When I brought this dish to my parents’ house recently my mom could not stop raving about it and repeatedly said, and I quote, “I am freaking out.” Quite the endorsement.

Roasted Cabbage with Anchovy & Dill

Serves 5 | adapted from a recipe by Andy Baraghani in his book, The Cook You Want to Be

¾ cup raw pecans

1 whole medium-large cabbage, green or purple
6 tbsp olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)

2–3 anchovies in oil, drained
1 large garlic clove
¼ tsp fine sea salt
zest of 1 small lemon and juice from ½ of it
½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 cup dill, chopped

First, roast the pecans. Heat the oven to 350°F. Spread the pecans on a baking dish or tray in a flat layer and roast for 15-20 minutes, until they smell toasty and, once broken open, look a little browned inside. (If they’re not done in that time frame, just keep roasting and check every 3-5 minutes until they’re as toasted as you’d like them to be.)

Once the nuts are done, set aside to let them cool and turn the oven up to 400°F.

Rinse your cabbage and remove any mottled/limp outer leaves. Slice in half, then trim the bottom and cut out most of the core (you want to retain some of it to keep the wedges intact). Slice each half into 1 inch thick wedges (you’ll get roughly 5-8 per half, depending on the size of your cabbage). Drizzle a large rimmed baking sheet evenly with 3 tbsp of olive oil, then lay your cabbage slices across the oil, making sure to spread it around the tray. Drizzle the slices with another 3 tbsp olive oil and turn them to coat in the oil. Sprinkle with plenty of kosher salt (act like you’re salting meat—be generous) and a few cracks of black pepper.

Roast the cabbage for 20 minutes, then flip each piece and roast for another 15-20 minutes, until nicely browned and seared on both sides. The cabbage should be soft but not mushy. Set aside to cool until warm.

While the cabbage cooks, make your dressing. In a mortar and pestle, bash 2-3 drained anchovies, 1 large garlic clove, and ¼ tsp fine sea salt until paste-like. Scrape into a small mixing bowl. Add the zest of 1 small lemon, juice from ½ of that lemon, and ½ cup extra virgin olive oil. Whisk until homogenous, then stir in ½ cup of the dill.

Once everything is ready, lay the roasted cabbage in one layer on a platter or shallow serving bowl. Roughly chop the pecans and scatter across the cabbage. Drizzle with the dressing, making sure to coat each piece of cabbage. Sprinkle with the rest of the chopped dill. Eat while still a little warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!