Eat Fresh - Cabbage

Published January 3, 2007 in The Spectrum & Daily News

By Kathryn van Roosendaal

For most of us of a certain age, cabbage sparks memories of a boiled mess that was a punishment to choke down at dinner. I still laugh — half in horror – when Ralphie from “A Christmas Story” asks his mom what’s for dinner. “Cabbage” she says. And Ralphie lifts the lid on a soup pot and takes a look at the contents with a look of disgust on his face. And no wonder. It is hours still until dinner, and already is a sodden mass of tasteless green.

Cabbage doesn’t have to be a punishment. The crisp leaves have a pleasant, almost-spicy taste that brings distinction to any dish — provided it isn’t overcooked.

There are literally hundreds of different varieties of cabbage to choose from. The most common is the pale green or white cabbage that is used in coleslaw and with corned beef. There is also Savoy cabbage — an Italian veggie with crinkly leaves that are almost sweet — and red cabbage — a tougher, stronger-tasting variety that adds brilliant color to the table. Any of them can be served raw, steamed, boiled, stir fried or baked.

Cabbage is a cold-weather vegetable, so while it is available year-round, the best is found during the winter. Look for heads that are large and compact, with tender leaves with no evidence of damage. Fresh cabbage will have a generous amount of wrapper (outer) leaves. Grocers will pull off wilted outer leaves as the cabbage ages. Check the bottom of the cabbage to be sure the leaves are not beginning to separate from the stem, an indication of age.

Store whole heads of cabbage in a plastic bag in the fridge for up to a week if bought from the store. The longer it sits, the stronger the flavor will be, so if you want mild cabbage, use it quick.

Orange Fruit Slaw

I found this recipe in the “Lion House Christmas” cookbook. You definitely don’t need to wait for Christmas for this wonderful side dish.

3 cups shredded cabbage

1 orange, peeled and sectioned

1 cup red grapes, halved and seeded

1/2 cup sliced celery

1 apple, cored and chopped

1 8-ounce carton orange yoghurt

1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

To toast almonds, spread on a baking sheet and place in a 350-degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly toasted.

Combine cabbage, orange sections, grapes, celery and apple in a large salad bowl. Mix in orange yoghurt. Chill 2 to 3 hours. Just before serving, garnish with the almonds. Serves 6 to 8.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

This is the real Irish Corned Beef recipe, using a real beef brisket and not that nasty canned stuff. Also, the cabbage is steamed, not boiled, so it is firm and tasty, not mushy. Make this your new St. Patrick’s Day tradition.

1 3/4 pounds onions, divided use

2 1/2 pounds carrots, divided use

6 pounds corned beef brisket or round, spiced or unspiced

1 cup malt vinegar

6 ounces Irish stout beer

1 tablespoon mustard seed

1 tablespoon coriander seed

1/2 tablespoon black peppercorns

1/2 tablespoon dill seed

1/2 tablespoon whole allspice

2 bay leaves

3 pounds cabbage, rinsed

2-1/2 pounds small red potatoes, scrubbed

1/2 cup coarse-grain mustard, optional

1/2 cup Dijon mustard, optional

You’ll need a heavy-duty pot large enough to hold 4 gallons for this large-quantity recipe. Divide onions and carrots and chop enough to fill 1 cup of each, reserving the rest. Place the corned beef in the stockpot. Add the chopped onions, carrots, malt vinegar, stout beer, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, dill seeds, whole allspice, and bay leaves. Add enough water to cover the corned beef and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer about 3 hours until meat is fork-tender. While the corned beef is cooking, cut the reserved onions into eight wedges and the carrots into 2-inch chunks. (Larger carrots should be halved first.) Slice each head of cabbage into 8 wedges. Add onions, carrots and red potatoes to the cooked corned beef, with the cabbage on top. Cover and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes, until potatoes and cabbage are fork-tender. To serve, cut corned beef against the grain into thin slices and accompany with the cooked vegetables. Dijon mustard and/or coarse-grained mustard complement the corned beef as optional condiments. Serves 12.