Cabbage is not exactly at the top of our list of favorite vegetables, but we're willing to admit that might be because we've never given cabbage a fair try. It's in season and very affordable right now, so let's see if we can learn to love it...
Cabbage 101:
Pick cabbages that have tight leaves and a solid heft. Larger cabbages tend to be more mild in flavor than smaller ones. If the outer leaves are wilted, brown, or excessively torn, this could indicate older cabbage or mishandling.
If you're at a farmer's market, ask the farmer about the varieties they offer and whether the farm has had a frost. Cabbages picked after a frost will be sweeter than those picked earlier.
Cabbage Baby Steps:
To prepare a cabbage, peel off and discard the outer layer of leaves - these are usually too wilted and tough to be palatable. If you're making cabbage rolls, simply peel off more layers of leaves, snapping them as close to the bottom stem as possible to keep them intact. To shred the cabbage, cut the cabbage into quarters, cut the stem off of each quarter, and then cut the cabbage cross-wise into shreds.
Cabbage definitely deserves its reputation for bitterness. When cut, enzymes within the cabbage's tissues combine to form bitter tastes and pungent aromas.
If you're planning on using the cabbage raw (as in a coleslaw), try soaking the shredded cabbage in cold water for a half an hour. Much like red onions, this leaches out some of the bitter flavor compounds. It also crisps up the leaves for extra crunch!
Cooking cabbage can be a bit tricky. Boiling, steaming, or stir-frying will render the cabbage more mild, but overcooking will produce highly unpleasant flavors and aromas. The key to cabbage is balancing its flavor with other ingredients in a dish. Salt is also key since it's presence in a dish reduces the perception of bitterness.
Basic Cabbage Recipes:
If you're new to cabbage, start out with a few basic recipes to learn how cabbage works and what other foods it pairs well with. Here's a round-up of recipes from our archives!
Wine-Braised Cabbage
Joy's Amazing Cabbage Casserole
Cabbage-Beet Coleslaw
Apples, Cabbage, and Pork Chops
Steamed Pork Dumplings
Fried Cabbage and Potato Cakes
Fish Tacos
Homemade Saurkraut
Ok, we're game to give cabbage a fair shot. What about you?!
Related: Learning to Love Eggplant: How to Pick 'Em, Cook 'Em, and Eat 'Em
(Image: Flickr member Dey licensed under Creative Commons)
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Other than coleslaw the only thing I do with cabbage is braise it (cook it down) with some nice smoky thick cut bacon, but its really good and a quick and easy side. Lots of fresh ground black pepper and salt.
cabbage is an excellent addition to potato and leek soup. I used to have an amazing recipe for a vegetarian broth-based potato and leek soup (finished with cream) that called for a whole head of cabbage. Can't find the recipe, but every fall, I try to recreate it with varying levels of success.
I love cabbage, raw or cooked. I especially loved stuffed cabbage. I even just eat it boiled with potatoes and topped with a mix of horseradish and mayo, salt & pepper, yum!
The only way my husband would eat cabbage is if it's in okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes).
http://hakkahouse.blogspot.com/2007/05/okonomiyaki.html
I'm all about the colcannon. Good Irish comfort food. Potatoes, onion, and cabbage all boiled together, then mashed with some cream, butter, salt and pepper to taste, and a bit of shredded cheddar cheese (optional). You can also toss in some bacon or corned beef.
One of my favorite meals in a pot is a corned beef boiled dinner. Quarter the cabbage and put it on top for the last bit of cooking to steam it through. It takes on some of the spice flavor from the corned beef. I love it with a splash of vinegar.
I toss some cabbage and onion in a skillet with butter. When it's all wilted I mix it up with some precooked egg noodles. I then salt and pepper the heck out of it.
It is so sweet and delicious.
Cabbage apples caraway apple cider a little gound sausage = yum.
Finely shredded cabage rice vinegar sesame oil = yum too!
I always have some cabbage in my fridge...a great way to prepare it is by making cabbage thoren.(http://www.pachakam.com/recipe.asp?id=3232)
Alas, cruciferous vegetables don't like me very much...a shame, because I actually liked brocolli as a kid and have had to give it up.
Mmm, love cabbage. I eat it in soups, tacos, pierogi, w/ noodles, w/ potatoes, as sauerkraut...
I made a German-style cabbage (red cabbage, but green would probably work) with apple cider vinegar, two Granny Smiths sliced, little bit of honey, raisins, water and salt and pepper. Also, I sauteed some onions first. Cook in a large pot until done, and it is super delicious. Tart, sweet, earthy. Great with sausage!
I love red cabbage salad.. take crushed garlic and lemon juice swirl in bowl, then thinly slice cabbage, cilantro, cheery tomatoes and mix with olive oil and sesame seeds, a bit of rock salt makes a great salad goes well with fish or chicken. I sometimes shred carrots and add sesame oil for a variation.
Braised with bacon or ham, carrots, bell peppers and onions.
What about using cabbage leaves as wrappers for all kinds of stuffing? There is a traditional Russian/Ukranian dish, called "golubci", where cabbage leaves are scalded with hot water briefly to make them pliable and then various stuffing, usually involving cooked rice, carrots and cooked meat of some kind, as well as herbs, are wrapped up in them and the entire set up steamed or baked. Not to mention the various slavic cabbage soups, like schii (http://www.natashascafe.com/html/schii.html) etc.