Kitchen Garden Journal

Cabbage is just now coming into season and because this year’s spring crop looks so nice, I thought I would share a few thoughts about it. 

First of all, you ought to know that not all cabbage is created equal. There are different types of cabbage for every purpose, and unfortunately, many people’s low opinion of this awesome vegetable is probably due to the fact that people use the wrong kind of cabbage for all the wrong reasons.

Our spring cabbage—we grow a variety called Tendersweet and I assure you it is both—is meant to be eaten when freshly picked. When cooked, it becomes very delicate and meltingly tender. (My mother in law makes stuffed cabbage with some frequency and swears by our Tendersweet.) But I think that it is really at its best when eaten raw.

In fact, cabbage itself is my favorite of all the members of its tribe (radishes, turnips, broccoli, etc) to eat raw.

But I wouldn’t eat just any cabbage raw. Our spring cabbage, because it’s meant to be eaten right after it’s picked, has traits that other types of cabbage can ill afford: a thin, tender leaf with a high water content. It’s very mild tasting; sweet, crisp and crunchy. 

Cabbage grown for long-distance shipping or winter keeping, on the other hand, has thick leaves with low moisture. That’s why when you eat most cabbage raw it has a squeaky, rubbery texture and a funky, sulfurous flavor. Not the kind of thing you want to make into slaw and serve with burgers at a 4th of July cookout. 

In other words, our cabbage is the heirloom tomato of cabbages.  It would simply not endure rough treatment or long journeys but it has a flavor that is truly wonderful and unique.

So, how do I love to enjoy raw cabbage in the summertime? Let me count the ways! 

My classic coleslaw, for one. I wrote up the recipe last year and published it on our site and got more feedback on that than any other recipe. Another perennial favorite is an Asian flavored slaw with roasted peanuts and herbs like cilantro, mint and Thai basil in a fish sauce-sugar-lime dressing. SO GOOD! 

A German-inflected slaw with a mustard vinaigrette and caraway seeds is another alternative to the classic. And easiest of all, when I was in Italy in the summer I was often served thinly sliced cabbage (they call this variety “cappuccio”) simply dressed with olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and pepper as the salad course at pranzo, the main meal of the day.

But lately, my favorite way to eat cabbage is a Mexican-inspired slaw that I like to call chile-lime cabbage. It is amazing when served with tacos (see last week’s post about spring pico de gallo).

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Savoy cabbage is the best type for cooking. It is very tender due to its tightly packed thin leaves. When cooked until melting, it is divine.

Across northern Italy, it is a winter staple. Le verze, as it is called, is beloved. It heralds the season of hearty soups and stews; when other vegetables are scarce, it becomes the main event. It is a vegetable per eccellenza to eat with meats. Especially pork.

In the traditional Italian agricultural calendar, this time of year—October, November, December—is the time to kill the family pig. Like Thanksgiving, it is a time of year when the harvests are done and the family gathers together. But unlike Thanksgiving, the killing of the animal, rather than the eating, is the central theme.  (The eating is supposed to last all winter). It’s a lot of work, and requires a lot of hands. There’s a whole lot of meat to deal with.

If you’ve never dealt with a freshly killed pig, one of the first things to know is that there are certain cuts of meat that aren’t really worth saving. They’re not much good for making sausages or hams or bacon. These are the head, the feet, the bony ribs, the skin, the organs. But they’re too good to waste, so making things out of them to eat right away becomes job number one. These dishes sustain the family as they perform the work of making the sausages and curing the bacon.

And, in Northern Italy, first on the list of accompaniments to these parts is…? You guessed it, the only fresh vegetable that’s still in season, le verze. So, the Italian peasant version of Thanksgiving dinner is essentially a bubbling pot of cabbage and pork.

So in celebration of pig killing season, here’s a recipe for a traditional pork and cabbage stew from Lombardy, called la cassoeula.

1.5 kg Savoy cabbage
800g spare ribs
250g fresh pork rind
300g sausages
2 pig feet
1 pig ear
1 snout (optional)
1 tail (optional)
200g carrots
200g celery
200g onion
50g butter
glass of white wine (optional)
meat broth
salt & pepper

Boil the feet (cut in half), the skin, and the ear in water for an hour. This removes some of the fat. Boil more or less time depending on how much fat you want to remove.

In a large stew pot, heat the butter over a low flame and saute the onion, sliced. Add the ribs, feet, and the ear and skin cut in thin strips. Brown the meat nicely over a lively flame. Add celery & carrot, the glass of wine, and let evaporate. Add a ladle of broth and salt & pepper and stir well. Cover and leave on a slow simmer for at least 1 hour, making sure it doesn't stick. Add more broth if necessary.

Clean the cabbages and wilt with a little water over a low flame in a covered pot 5-10 minutes. Drain and add to the pot of meat along with the sausages, cut in pieces or left whole. Cover and cook another 30-45 minutes over a moderate flame, checking that it doesn't stick and skimming the fat from time to time.

Serve piping hot with polenta and a good red wine.

See the original recipe, in Italian, here.

You can also check out about.com’s Italian food section. There is a section totally devoted to Savoy cabbage with links to many fine recipes, including risi e verze (Venetian cabbage and rice) and Pizzoccheri (buckwheat pasta with cabbage, cheese, and sage butter).

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Photo by Candace Hope

In the first apartment I ever had, when I was 18 years old, a vegetarian, and new to cooking, I made this at least twice a week. The recipe has evolved somewhat since then, but the basic concept is the same: noodles, peanut sauce, fried tofu, and vegetables. It’s also my favorite thing to order at two of my favorite local restaurants: The People’s Pint and The Lady Killigrew. Always fills you up. Never lets you down. 

1 lb pasta: whole wheat spaghetti, buckwheat soba, or udon noodles

Peanut sauce: 2/3 cup natural peanut butter
¼ cup tahini sesame paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 hot chilies, minced, or 1 tsp cayenne
3 Tbsp soy sauce or 2 Tbsp soy and a heaping spoonful of miso paste
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp sesame oil 1/2 -1 cup water, to thin the sauce

Garnishes:
Fried tofu slices Blanched broccoli florets
Shredded cabbage
Shredded carrots
Sliced radishes
Sliced cucumber
Chopped scallions
Chopped cilantro 

Method:
Boil the pasta until al dente, drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Toss with a little  sesame oil and set aside.

Prepare the sauce by mixing together all the ingredients and diluting it with lukewarm water to the desired consistency. It should be moderately thick: thin enough to coat the pasta without clumping but not at all runny.

For the fried tofu, cut a block of firm or extra firm tofu into thin (3/16”) slices. Dip the slices in soy sauce and fry them in hot canola oil until crispy, turning once, like you would fry bacon. Drain on paper towels and chop coarsely into bite sized pieces. Put in a serving dish on the table.

Toss the sauce with the noodles and serve each person clump in a large bowl. Prepare the rest of the vegetables and herbs and arrange artfully on the table for the diners to serve themselves. 

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My recent batch: daikon radish with its greens, napa with carrots and pears

From watching Maangchi I’ve come to understand that kimchi is comprised of essentially two elements: a salted vegetable and a “sauce” of salt, sugar, hot pepper powder and aromatics like garlic, ginger, and scallions. It takes a little thinking ahead to salt the vegetables but it comes together very quickly and you can eat it for months.

For the salted cabbage:
1 head napa cabbage
Kosher salt or sea salt
For the kimchi sauce:
1 ½ cups water
¼ cup rice flour or AP flour
¼ cup sugar
½ cup fish sauce or 1 ½ Tbsp salt
½ daikon radish, cut into julienne strips
1 head garlic, minced
½ inch piece of ginger, minced
½ cup Korean hot pepper powder
3 scallions cut into 2” pieces

Method:
Wash the head of cabbage, carefully rinsing any dirt away from the base of the outer leaves. Pat dry and cut cabbage into 4 quarters. The leaves should be attached at the core. In a large bowl or wash basin sprinkle the cabbage quarters all over and between the leaves with the salt, massaging gently. Leave for approximately 1 hour. Turn the cabbage over and leave for another hour. You will see that the leaves have wilted considerably and a lot of liquid has accumulated. Rinse the cabbage in three changes of water, squeeze them gently to expel the water and set aside.

Meanwhile, assemble the ingredients for the sauce. Mix the water and flour in a small pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.  When the mixture thickens and begins to bubble, turn off the heat and allow to cool. Add the sugar and fish sauce or salt. Add the other ingredients and mix well. It should be a gravy-like texture and sticky, not watery. Taste it. It should taste like kimchi but sweeter. It should not be overly salty tasting. If it’s not spicy enough for your taste you can add more hot pepper. Same goes for the garlic, etc. In addition to the daikon, you can add other vegetables if you like, such as carrots.

Spread the sauce all over the cabbages and between the leaves and put them into a plastic container with any of the remaining sauce. Leave it out at room temperature for 1 day, then refrigerate. You can eat it right away or wait a while. The flavor will gradually go from sweet to sour as it ferments. It will keep indefinitely, but it is best if eaten within 2-3 months. To serve, cut cabbage with scissors into bite sized pieces.
Watch Maangchi make it here.

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Napa Cabbage is great in stir fries of any kind. I love to make these curry flavored stir-fried rice noodles at home almost as much as I like ordering them in Chinese restaurants.

Recipe adapted from Rasa Malaysia

Ingredients:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
8 dried or fresh shiitake mushrooms
12 ounces of fine dry rice vermicelli (Wai Wai brand recommended)
2 stalks celery, sliced thin
2 cups napa cabbage, cut into fine ribbons
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
8 green onions, root end trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined, or
1 pound char siu (Chinese barbecued pork), cut into matchsticks
4 tablespoons vegetable oil

For sauce:
3 tablespoons Madras (hot) curry powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 cup chicken broth
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons hot chili paste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Method:
1) If using dried shiitake mushrooms, soak them in hot water for half an hour. Drain, then cut off the stems. Slice the mushrooms thinly.
2) Put the rice vermicelli in a large bowl and soak in enough hot water to cover, until the noodles are soft (about 8 to 10 minutes). Drain noodles and set aside.
3) Start by heating up 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the curry powder, the ginger, and the minced garlic, and saute until fragrant. Add the chicken broth, soy sauce, sugar, and chili paste. Stir to combine and then cover and cook for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and set aside.
4) Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large wok over high heat. Add in the remaining garlic and ginger, and stir-fry until the garlic starts to become golden. Add in the celery, onion, pepper, cabbage, sprouts, green onions, and mushrooms. Stir-fry for 3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften. Set the vegetables aside in a bowl.
5) Heat the last 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok over high heat. Add in the shrimp and stir-fry until they start to turn pink on both sides. Or simply add the char siu and toss to combine.
6) Add in the noodles and the vegetables. Mix the ingredients thoroughly to coat all the noodles and incorporate all the vegetables.
7) Serve hot.

Note: you can buy an acceptable pre-cooked version of the Chinese pork at Trader Joe’s.

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This is my approximation of my favorite coleslaw. Growing up in Oneonta, NY, we used to go to Brook's Barbecue restaurant (famous for its chicken) all the time. Being the 80's, they had an all-you-can-eat salad bar. I would go back for bowl after bowl of their slaw, smothered in unlimited quantities of bacon bits. I may not have been a very sophisticated eater in those days, but I knew what I liked, and to this day I rate all other coleslaws against their tangy, zippy version. The main flavor components are vinegar, garlic, and black pepper, light on the sugar, light on the mayonnaise. Find our other favorite slaw recipes here.

• 1 small cabbage or 1/2 medium cabbage, shredded (6-8 cups)
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 1 clove garlic, finely grated or microplaned
• 1/2 sweet onion, grated, or some scallions (optional)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup white vinegar or other sharp vinegar
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• lots of freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve refrigerator-cold, with (preferably) or without bacon bits. Meal must also include 2 or more of the following: grilled chicken, burgers, pulled pork sandwiches, grilled cheese, hot dogs, potato salad, potato chips, french fries, pickles. Happy Fourth of July, everyone.

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This recipe is adapted from Cooking by Hand by Paul Bertolli. We have a little Italian hand-crank mill or mulino we like to use to make flour from buckwheat groats. This recipe serves 8 so feel free to cut it in half.

• 2/3 cup buckwheat flour
• 1 1/2 cups extra-fancy semolina flour
• 2 eggs
• 5 teaspoons salt
• 2 large or three medium boiling potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 -inch thick
• 1/2 large head savoy cabbage, separated and torn into pieces
• 7 tablespoons butter
• 8 to 10 sage leaves
• 1 garlic clove, chopped fine
• 1 cup grated Fontina val d'Aosta cheese
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1. Place the buckwheat flour and semolina in a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the eggs and one-fourth cup plus 2 tablespoons water. Use a fork to stir the mixture together. When the dough begins to form a shaggy mass, alternately squeeze and press it with the palm of your hand. Press any loose bits of flour into the dough. If it is too dry, add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together. When the dough feels tacky and the flour is fully incorporated, transfer it to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 4 tor 5 minutes, or until it loses its surface moisture, is a uniform color and springs back when pressed. Wrap the dough in plastic and allow it to rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour before rolling.

2. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/8-inch thick, then cut it into wide strips 6 inches long.

3. Heat the broiler.

4. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Add the potatoes to the boiling water, then after 2 minutes, add the cabbage. Boil the vegetables for about 5 minutes, or until the cabbage is tender but not soft. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon and keep the water boiling.

5. Meanwhile, place a wide sauté pan over medium heat; add the butter, sage leaves and garlic. Lower the heat so the garlic does not brown, and swirl the pan a couple of times so the butter melts and the flavors merge. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

6. Cook the pasta in the same water as the vegetables to al dente, about 4 minutes; drain well and add to the sauté pan. Over low heat, stir to coat with the butter mixture. Remove from the heat.

7. Butter a 10-inch gratin or baking dish and assemble by layering one-third of the pasta, vegetables and cheeses. Repeat, until all the pasta, vegetables and cheeses are used. Place the gratin under the broiler for 2 to 4 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. Serve at once.

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This is a simple soup eaten daily in Portugal in infinite versions. There seems to be a Cape Cod Portuguese-American version as that contains beans and a different type of sausage, linguiça. Either way, the combination of rich potato broth, deep hearty greens and salty pork is perfect for those cold rainy fall nights. Try it with a wine from the Douro region!

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1" chunks
• 6 cups water or vegetable stock
• 1-2 bunches kale, collards, or 1/2 savoy cabbage
• Thin slices or small chunks of dry sausage such as chorizo or sopressata (optional)

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes or until potatoes break apart. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, food mill, or some other way. Return to the pan. Wash and remove the tough stems from the kale or collards and stack the leaves on top of one another.  Roll them up like a cigar and slice into very fine shreds. (They use a meat grinder-like machine for this at markets in Portugal so you can buy it pre-shredded. It looks kind of like grass clippings.) Add kale to simmering potato broth and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot in bowls garnished with the sliced sausage and a thread of high quality olive oil.

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This recipe is an adaptation for cabbage of Thai green papaya salad (som tam) and makes a refreshing and fat-free alternative to mayonnaise-based salads (not that there’s anything wrong with mayonnaise!). 

• 1/2 to 1 head cabbage, shredded
• 1 carrot, grated
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small hot red or green chili, minced
• 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
• Thai basil, spearmint (optional)
• 1-2 scallions, chopped
• ¼ cup roasted shelled peanuts, ground or chopped fine
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 Tbsp light colored vinegar
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp fish sauce (optional)

Mixed thinly sliced cabbage and grated carrot in a large bowl with the garlic, chili, cilantro and other herbs if using.  Add the lime juice, salt, sugar, vinegar and fish sauce and stir well (the volume of salad should decrease within minutes as the cabbage sheds its liquid).  Refrigerate until needed.  Just before serving garnish with the ground peanuts and chopped scallion. 

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• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1 onion or leek, chopped fine
• 1 turnip, 1/4 inch dice
• 3 carrots, 1/4 inch dice
• 3 beets, 1/4 inch dice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups vegetable broth
• 3 potatoes, peeled, 1/4 inch dice
• 1/2 cabbage, 1/2 inch chunks 
• 1 bay leaf
• salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup canned tomato, or diced plum tomatoes
• 6 Tbsp wine vinegar, or to taste
• 2 Tbsp dill, chopped 
• sour cream 

In a large soup pot saute onion or leek, turnips, carrots and beets in butter and oil until onion is translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook 30 seconds. Add broth, potatoes, cabbage, bay leaf, tomato, and salt & pepper. Simmer 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar and taste for salt. Refrigerate overnight if serving cold. Add dill and sour cream to the bowl when serving.

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