All In Good Taste / January 2006
Heads Up
Cabbage has been cultivated for more than 4,000 years and domesticated for over 2,500 years. One of the oldest of cultivated vegetables, cabbage originated as a weed on the coastlines of Europe. It belongs to the genus Brassica, which also includes broccoli, kale, turnips, bok choy and cauliflower.
Greeks and Romans placed great faith in the healing powers of cabbage. Roman mythology held that cabbages sprung from the tears of Lycurgus, King of the Edonians. When Emperor Claudius asked his Senate to vote on whether any dish could surpass corned beef and cabbage, they voted “nay”. Egyptian pharaohs reputedly ate large quantities of cabbage before a night of drinking, believing it allowed them to drink more without feeling the effects. Some people still consider cabbage with vinegar as a good hangover remedy.
The English name cabbage comes from the French caboche, meaning head, referring to its round form. Although cabbage is often connected to the Irish, the Celts brought cabbage to Europe from Asia around 600 B.C. Since cabbage grows well in cool climates, yields large harvests, and stores well during winter, it quickly became a major crop in Europe. Early cabbage was of a more loose leaf variety, not the full-bodied head seen today, which was developed during the Middle Ages by northern European farmers.
French navigator Jacques Cartier brought cabbage to the Americas in 1536.
Captain Cook swore by the medicinal value of sauerkraut back. In 1769 his ship doctor used it for compresses, to prevent gangrene in wounded soldiers. It was cabbage that led The Man on the Moon to crime. He was banished to lunar exile after being caught stealing a cabbage from a neighbor on Christmas Eve.
Cabbage takes only three months growing time and an acre of cabbage yields more edible vegetables than any other plant.
There are four main types of cabbage on the market today, but over four hundred different varieties to choose from, in shades of green, white, red, and purple. The most common is the round, light green or white variety. Savoy cabbage, originating in Italy, has crinkly leaves. Tender and sweet, it’s a good choice for stuffed cabbage leaves since the leaves are more pliable and stand up well to extended cooking times. The firmer texture of standard green, red, and purple cabbages is better for slaw. Chinese cabbage (Pak Choi or Bok Choy) isn’t really cabbage, but actually Chinese chard.
Green cabbage, with just the slightest bitterness, is most common. Red cabbage has a similar flavor, but cooks up with a sweeter taste. It’s often used for color in salads and soups. Savoy cabbage has a crinkly texture and mild flavor. Chinese cabbages are also mild flavored and have a more delicate texture.
Cabbages come into season in the late fall and early winter. Like many vegetables of the Brassica family, they benefit from a hard freeze. It makes them sweeter. Cabbages are good shredded fresh for salads, sautéed, and especially, braised. Leaves can be blanched and stuffed with meat or grain mixtures. Pickled cabbage features prominently in many cuisines, from German sauerkraut to Korean kimchee.
Red and purple cabbages take longer to mature, and are generally not as tender as green or white varieties. Cooks should know that the compound (anthocyanin) that gives red and purple cabbage their beautiful color will turn blue when cooked along with any alkaline substance. Since tap water is often full of alkaline minerals like lime, add a teaspoon of lemon juice, vinegar, or wine to the pot when using tap water. If red cabbage begins to take on a blue tinge, adding an acidic agent usually brings back the original color. Cabbages can be used interchangeably in most recipes but when cooking with red and purple cabbage remember their rosy color leaches into the other ingredients. Hot pink may not be the presentation guests were expecting.
Cabbage Au Gratin
6 cups shredded cabbage
3 ounces tomato paste (one half of a 6-
ounce can)
3/4 cup water
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons sugar
1 cup grated Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup buttered bread crumbs
1/4 cup butter
Fill a large kettle half-full with water. Bring to a boil. Add a dash or two of salt. Add cabbage and cook for 2 minutes; drain and return cabbage to pan. In a saucepan, combine tomato paste, 3/4 cup water, 1-1/2 tsp salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring until smooth. Pour over drained cabbage. Pour into a casserole dish. Top with cheese and buttered bread crumbs. Dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. Yields 6 servings.
Red Cabbage Salad
1/2 head red cabbage
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp Lawry’s Seasoned Salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp onion powder
Shred cabbage irregularly, some finely shredded, some coarsely shredded, into a bowl. Add oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, seasoned salt, pepper and onion powder; mix well. Allow to stand overnight or at least several hours in the refrigerator to allow flavors to mellow and for slaw to achieve a deep red color. Yields 6-8 servings.
Copyright © 2007 A Woman's View. All rights reserved.
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