|
Chestnut
Fr:
le choux Ge: der Kohl It: il cavolo
Sp: la col
In central and Eastern Europe, green or white cabbage is quite a common vegetable though it has its roots in antiquity. Brought to southern Europe by way of Egypt and Greece and eastern Europe perhaps by nomadic Turks who got it from the Chinese, the lowly cabbage fed many a peasant family through a long and bitter winter. Indeed, from the 14th through the 19th centuries cabbage prepared in many ways along with dark breads and other grains was the common staple - the upper class excluded. Cabbage has a long and interesting history involving such folk as the Scandinavians, the Polish
and of course, the Hungarians. But that is all 'food' for another article.
Cabbage is of the cruciferous family which includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower to mention a few. It is an excellent source of Vitamin C, iron, calcium and potassium as well as the B complexes. However, long cooking lowers these values considerably.
Savoy cabbage is favoured by the French and Belgians with
white and red cabbages the favourites of the Germans
followed by 'Wirsing' or savoy cabbage (Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage - delicious!).
My personal favourite is the savoy which is not only a mild and delicious tasting cabbage but
because it requires less cooking time than the white or green
cabbage, is my preferred cabbage especially for stuffed cabbage
rolls. It also contains 20% of the RDA for Vitamin A. However, bok choy has the highest Vitamin A marks, supplying 60% of the RDA. Red cabbage is higher in fibre than green and requires a longer cooking time and is also higher in iron, calcium and potassium than the green cabbage.
Kept wrapped in plastic, cabbage can keep for up to 3 weeks refrigerated
(savoy cabbage last considerably less). Try to eat cabbage as soon after purchasing as possible to retain its slight, natural sweetness.
Object to cabbage because of the odour it gives off while
cooking? Most likely you overcooked it. Yes, I know. Your
grandmother/mother always cooked it that way. Remember, past
generations also had little idea of nutrition and eating tender
vegetables or even raw was once considered unhealthy. Overcooking releases the volatile sulfur
compounds so cook all cabbages as briefly as possible to retain the most nutrients and prevent the strong
odor associated with cabbage. Also, cutting away most of the core helps as well as adding a stalk of celery to the pot.
Stuffed cabbage rolls, because of the filling, do require a longer
cooking time of up to 1-1/4 hr. depending on method, size of rolls and
whether boiled, braised or baked.
Here a few general cooking tips (times given are minimum times and
will give tender, al dente results - some recipes and other
ingredients may require longer cooking times. However, a
simple boiled cabbage and potato dish does not require cooking 1
hour as some grandmothers were/are wont to do!):
boil - Boil as briefly as possible in an open pot. Cut a small cabbage into fourths or a larger one into eighths or chop coarsely or into thick slices and boil for 4 to 9 minutes.
braised - A delicious method and requires keeping a
small liquid level, especially when onion, garlic, carrot or potatoes are added. Slice thinly, chop or shred the cabbage. Cook in a
covered pot in a little salted water (about 2 cm. of water or vegetable broth) for about 6 to 8 minutes. Check now and again and add a little more water as necessary to prevent
burning, keeping in mind that other ingredients such as potatoes
absorb the liquid. Red cabbage is tougher and will require cooking times of up to 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
raw - Undoubtedly the best way to get all the nutritional value from
cabbage. All cabbages can be eaten raw, however most cooks are used to white or red cabbage shredded for a salad. Savoy is also delicious eaten raw and added to a green salad as is bok
choy, with its juicy crunch. The core of cabbages can also be eaten, however some persons have 'intestinal problems' after eating too much of it!
steamed - Use a steaming basket is also delicious
way to serve cabbage. Quarters will require 6 to 9 minutes or until tender and shredded cabbage about 3 minutes.
stuffed - Cabbage à la Turkish, Hungarian or Polish style etc. is by far the most popular way to eat
cabbage but does require longer cooking. See my recipe suggestions in the Recipe
Collection (Lamb and Savoy Cabbage Rolls)!
stir fried - Best with bok choy or savoy cabbage and will only require about 3-4 minutes. Shred or thinly slice
and use a small amount of vegetable oil. Heat the oil and add spices such as coriander seeds, cumin, caraway or small red chillies and stir for a minute before tossing in the cabbage. Thinly sliced
onions and garlic can also be added but add these toward the end of cooking.
Seasoning cabbage is a minimal effort. In Germany and Eastern Europe, juniper berries or caraway seeds
and pepper are traditional in cooking cabbage as both aid the digestion. To a pot of white or green cabbage serving 4 persons use only 3 to 4 juniper berries - their aroma is slightly aromatic and reminding of perfume when bitten into. When using caraway, a teaspoon will do.
See
Recipe Collection for more recipes!
Join
the update list and never miss what's new on the site!
|
