We're visiting family in Texas this month and, thanks to CSA-style deliveries from Greenling, we have been inundated with Napa cabbage. What can one do with a head – or three – of this crisp and delicately-flavored vegetable?
Napa cabbage, also known as Chinese or celery cabbage, is milder and sweeter than regular cabbage. Its white stalks and crinkly, pale green or yellow leaves may be eaten raw or cooked. In Asian cuisines, Napa cabbage is often used in stir fries, soups, dumplings, and Korean kimchee. The wonderfully textured, ruffled leaves are excellent in fresh salads and slaws. When braised or simmered, the stalks and leaves become tender, juicy, and sweet.
In the past week, we have made Napa cabbage slaw with a sesame oil and rice vinegar dressing, wrapped the leaves into spring/summer rolls, threw finely sliced leaves and stalks into a pot of white bean and root vegetable soup, and made a quick sauté with garlic, ginger, and soy sauce. There's still plenty of cabbage left, so we're thinking of this Napa Cabbage and Red Onion Salad from Serious Eats and Pickled Napa Cabbage with Umeboshi Plums from Gourmet. Do you have any other ideas? We're all ears!
Storage and preparation note: Store Napa cabbage whole in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. To prepare the entire head at once, cut it in half lengthwise, remove the core, and chop as desired. Or, separate and wash individual leaves as needed.
Related: Know Your Asian Greens
(Image: Emily Ho)
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What can one do?
Mock those of us poor saps in northern climes where it is snowing.
/cry
Okonomiyaki! i.e. Japanese pizza (basically a cabbage pancake). Super simple to make and you can dress it up any way you like, just as the name implies. I've yet to find the perfect recipe (at least as good as the one my home-stay mom made), but it's a great way to make a head of cabbage disappear.
make potstickers!!!
just be sure to salt the chopped up napa cabbage and let the water leech out first.
I actually found napa cabbage at the indoor farmers market in Ithaca, NY a few weeks ago. I made a slaw based on a recipe in Eating Well, combining the cabbage, sliced snowpeas, grated sweet potato and chopped mint and cilantro.
http://bottomofthecrisper.blogspot.com/2010/02/ithaca-indoor-farmers-market.html
I hate green cabbage but like napa cabbage. Wonder if you could use the napa as a replacement in dishes that traditionally call for green cabbage -- like halupki/galumbki...
Chex Panisse Vegetables has an amazing recipe for Savory Stuffed Napa Cabbage. So good! And great for low carb/gluten free folks who miss pasta. Just substitute gluten free bread in the recipe.
I love this Food & Wine recipe using Napa Cabbage : http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/stir-fried-udon-noodles
Two words: KIM CHEE
Seriously, make a ton. Lasts forever, a worthwhile dish to eat with everything.
http://www.maangchi.com/recipe/easy-kimchi
Last night, I made deconstructed stuffed cabbage. SO easy and delicious. Blanched chopped/shredded cabbage. Made a broth/sauce of crushed tomatoes with their jucies, garlic, olive oil and plain yogurt. Cooked some ground beef and onions, and put all the elements together. Delicious!
My Chinese roommate and I make baìcaì all the time! Here's the most delicious way:
Chop it well - the thicker stems should be sliced diagonally to make them thin and wide enough to fry well. Also chop some green onions, garlic and fresh ginger. (these can be larger, thin slices - you don't have to dice)
Heat some oil in a wok and sautee some whole peppercorns and dried red chilis. Add the chopped cabbage and the garlic and ginger. Add some rice vinegar and salt and a little sugar - stir fry for a bit until it starts to get soft and add in the green onions. Toward the very end, add a little corn starch in water and remove from the heat as soon as it's thickened.
Absolutely delicious!
Make Asian slaw with lots of carrot and red pepper, cilantro, and a dressing of mayo cut with yogurt, a drop of sesame oil, chili garlic paste, tons of grated ginger, a bit of soy, and lots of lime or rice vinegar. Mmmm. Stuff this into corn tortillas with grilled fish or shrimp for Asiany fish tacos.
Make easy Pelmeni (russian dumplings), by sauteeing napa cabbage with onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and caraway seeds. Stir in good quality sauerkraut and stuff filling into wonton wrappers. Boil till done and serve with butter, Greek yogurt (or sour cream), and applesauce.
Mix in the cabbage sauteed with onion and caraway into mashed potatoes for a different kind of Colcannon.
Roast with bacon fat!
I care less about Napa cabbage (which I love, wholeheartedly) than I do about that gorgeous fabric print you've photographed it against. Whose print is that, and can I buy it?
Not exactly authentic but it is delicious: http://www.changs.com/recipes/view-recipe?id=90e1d9544e2a624ad5a9838d57a3ca5b
I also use it a lot in stir fries. It keeps very well in the fridge and is cheaper than other cabbage where I live.
2nding bluellie's suggestion for okonomiyaki- very simple and super tasty...here's a quick recipe (not 'authentic' by any means, just how I like it)
1 cup flour
2 eggs
garlic or garlic powder
ginger or ginger powder
sprinkle of dashi or fish sauce if you have it
1/2 head cabbage sliced into bite size pieces
1/4c sliced green onion
(any other veggies you like)
cooked meat of your choice, bite sized (I like thin pork chops cooked with a bit of soy sauce and ginger)
Put first 5 ingredients in a big bowl- add enough water to make into a pancake batter consistency. Add the veg/meat and stir to coat. (ps-this will look like more 'stuff' than batter-that's a good thing)
Cook pancake style in a skillet (with veggie oil) and serve with your favorite dipping sauce. A mix of bbq sauce and mayo is classic, but I like a teriyaki style sauce.
Yummmm.....good luck!
I love this recipe from Smitten Kitchen:
http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/07/napa-cabbage-salad-with-buttermilk-dressing/
Actually, I would make it now with my glut of CSA radishes (I am in southwest Florida) but I am not allowing myself to buy any other produce (except garlic and ginger).
I adore Napa (or Savoy) cabbage prepared in Orangette's manner (with or without the fennel): http://orangette.blogspot.com/2009/01/best-we-can-hope-for.html. Especially good when cooked until very caramelized and some sliced baked tofu is tossed in at the end.
I'm with Cindy. Make kim chee! I love good homemade kim chee!
i've always wanted to try/make kim chee. I've heard great things about it but have never seen it on a menu.
I love to add nappa cabbage to a salad or make slaw with it.
DH isn't a fan ... i wish they weren't such huge heads, I love it but can't finish a whole head by myself no matter how many different ways I make it.
i love it so much sometimes i eat it like pasta, topped with ground beef/pork, tofu, etc, stir fried with a little soy sauce, sesame oil, salt and pepper (and fish sauce if you have it!)
One meal = half a head gone
Oh, I agree with the Kimchee suggestions and I think a 'how to make kimchee' would be an AWESOME post!
Also, how about Japanese dumplings (gyoza) or Korean dumplings (mandu). Lots of great recipes online!
Similar to Orangette's super-scientific cabbage with hot sauce... I usually make "Chinese soup."
For the soup:
Chicken or vegetable broth
Garlic
Ginger
Napa Cabbage (or other greens... bok choy, tatsoi, whatever)
Cooked chicken or tofu
Garnishes:
Chopped green onions
Chopped Cilantro
Soy sauce
Sambal Oelek or Sriracha
Bring chicken broth to a boil with two or three cloves of garlic bashed a bit to release the flavor, a few generous slices of ginger, soy sauce and spicy sauce to taste. Add cabbage and chicken and return to a boil just long enough to cook the cabbage. Serve and let people add more whatever they want to taste. This is definitely something my Chinese mom (hence the name, I suppose) used to make when I was a kid and my husband and I eat this at least once every couple of weeks when our farm share is heavy on the greens (conveniently usually during the winter).
this is one of my favorite veggies! i always keep a jar of kimchi around the house made of napa cabbage. this cabbage is also great in any clear broth soup, stir fry, or light pasta dish.