No turned up noses: Cabbage has its attributes
All winter long, the cabbages that were planted in the fall have been hibernating. They haven’t grown, but they haven’t died off either. With just a hint of warm weather, they’ll revive into a growth mode and fill out for an early spring harvest.
Per capita, Americans consume about 8 pounds of fresh cabbage, plus almost a pound of sauerkraut each year. Who eats all this cabbage? Since 45 percent of the U.S. cabbage crop ends up in coleslaw, we can go ahead and extrapolate that with our preponderance in barbecue, Memphis uses its fair share.
The headed, cruciferous vegetable comes in a variety of forms. The most common has tightly packed, pale green, white or deep purple leaves. Though most cabbages weigh in around a pound, they can easily grow in excess of 7 pounds. Record cabbages have weighed in at more than 100 pounds.
Savoy cabbage has the same round head, but with dark green, tight leaves that have a crinkly surface. Napa or Chinese cabbage has an oval head and thinner leaves, almost as if it were the result of cabbage crossed with a lettuce.
With uncertain origins, cabbage has been a favored vegetable for a millennium or more in part due to its fantastic storage properties. In near-freezing temperatures, cabbage will store for up to six months.
Though the sulfuric odor of cooking cabbage may deter you from bringing it into your kitchen, the weather will warm up, so you can throw open the windows and give it a try. Start with making a fresh, raw slaw. Progress to a quick stir fry. Throw some into a soup. Try thick wedges on the grill. In a few short months you’ll be a pro and ready to venture into fermenting kimchee. Then we can talk about smell.
As the ancestor and relative of other favorite vegetables — namely kale, broccoli, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts — cabbage has enjoyed a part in everything from mythology (cabbages supposedly came from the sweat of Jupiter) to science (the leaf surface inspired the creation of the water and dirt repellent Scotchgard).
So, cabbage’s longstanding reputation as mere peasant food just needs to go. There’s no need to look down our noses at a vegetable that’s nutritious, easy to grow and abundant.
U.S. cabbage demand is highest in March. We all boil a few heads to enjoy with our St. Patrick’s Day feasts. As we gear up for the start of baseball season, we can anticipate a large hot dog, loaded with sauerkraut and mustard or a barbecue sandwich piled high with pork and slaw.
Don’t slack off. Plan ahead. We each have several pounds of cabbage to eat by the end of the year. We’ve got to keep those numbers up. Cabbage: 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 head of cabbage, core removed, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar ¼ cup water -- salt and pepper to taste Risotto: 5-6 cups chicken or vegetable broth 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 cup Arborio rice 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated ¼ cup heavy cream -- additional rice wine vinegar to taste -- salt and pepper to taste 1 In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add olive oil and sauté onions. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are soft and starting to turn a caramel brown. 2 Add garlic and cabbage. Cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage is wilted. Stir in vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 3 Reduce heat to lowest setting. Add ¼ cup water. Cover pan and cook for 45 minutes until cabbage is very tender and nearly melted. Add more water if necessary to keep from burning. Remove from heat and set aside. 4 In a medium saucepan, warm broth over medium heat.
Reduce heat to low. 5 In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high heat. Add rice and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently until rice is heated through, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add a cup of the warmed broth to the rice and stir until it is fully absorbed. Continue adding broth, a cup at a time, stirring until it is fully absorbed before adding more. After about 15 minutes, taste the rice. It should be tender, but still with a little bite. Continue to cook and add liquid as necessary until rice is done. 6 Add about half of cabbage mixture and stir to combine (the remaining cabbage can be added to the rice or saved for another dish). Stir in butter, Parmesan and cream. Add additional vinegar, if desired. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Serves 3-4.
1
2 1 medium green or Savoy cabbage, core removed, thinly sliced
(about 4 cups) 1 cup vegetable broth -- Salt and pepper to taste 2/3 cup sour cream 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped, or 1 tablespoon dill seeds or
dried dill