Cabbage is a workhorse in the garden and the kitchen. Cabbage will keep for several weeks in the fridge in a plastic bag. You can even use half the cabbage and keep the rest in the fridge until you are ready to eat it. We grow regular green cabbage as well as the crinkly leaved savoy cabbage, red cabbage, pointy-headed cabbages, and the tall looser-packed Napa or Chinese cabbages. They are all used similarly in cooking. Cabbage is great sautéed as a green vegetable, in coleslaws, boiled dinners, stuffed cabbages and made into kimchi and sauerkraut.
Sweet & Sour Cabbage
- 1 medium cabbage, cored and sliced thin
- 1/4 C butter
- 4 Tbs sugar or honey
- 2/3 C balsamic or unsweetened rice vinegar
Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add cabbage and sauté until slightly wilted, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, toss to coat evenly. Add vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, simmer until cabbage is tender, stirring often, about 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Savoy Cabbage & Rutabaga Slaw
Adapted from foodandwine.com
- 1/2 pound rutabaga, cut into 1/4” x 2” strips
- 1 1/2 pound savoy cabbage, shredded
- 3/4 C walnut halves
Dressing:
- 1 1/2 Tbs blackstrap molasses
- 1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 1/2 Tbs white wine vinegar
- 1/4 C olive oil
Preheat oven to 350. Roast walnuts until fragrant and golden, 10 minutes. Allow to cool and break into small pieces. Combine molasses, lemon juice and vinegar. Drizzle olive oil slowly into dressing while whisking to combine. Toss rutabaga, cabbage and walnuts with dressing. Allow to sit at room temperature 5 minutes before serving.
Baked Red Cabbage with Apples & Bacon
Heat 1″ strips of bacon in heavy pot until barely crispy and set aside.
Thinly slice about 2 onions in 3 Tbs of the bacon fat and cook until clear.
Quarter a red cabbage and remove hard core. Slice very thinly and add to onion. Cook about 5 minutes or until limp.
Peel and slice about 3 tart apples and toss with 1 Tbs sugar and 6 Tbs cider vinegar. Add apples and bacon to cabbage mixture with salt to taste and stir.
Bake in a glass, stainless or earthenware pot (cabbage will turn grey in cast iron, aluminum, or tinned copper) at 350 for 1 hour.
Purple Sauerkraut:
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In a large stainless bowl mix 1 pound shredded cabbage (1 small head), 2 tablespoons sea salt and 1 tablespoon (optional) caraway seeds. Pound with a meat hammer or soup can for 10 minutes until cabbage starts to release juices.
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Transfer cabbage and juices to clean 1-quart jars leaving about 1 inch of headspace. Screw on lids. Leave on counter to ferment for about 3 days. It should bubble and maybe hiss.
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It is tangy and ready to eat after three days. The flavor improves and becomes more tender with age. Store in fridge or dark cool cellar. Will keep all winter.
Thai Slaw
- 1 small cabbage, shredded
- 3 carrots, grated
- 3 Hakurai turnips, grated
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Dressing:
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Combine veggies in a bowl. Combine dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake well. Drizzle sauce over veggies and toss to coat evenly. Let stand 10 minutes and re toss before serving and garnish with toasted sesame seeds.
Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Adapted from SmittenKitchen.com
- 1 Napa cabbage, cored and chopped (about 4 C)
- 4 medium carrots, grated
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/4 C dried cranberries
Dressing:
- 1/2 C buttermilk, well shaken
- 2 Tbs cider vinegar
- 2 Tbs mayonnaise
- 2 Tbs minced shallot or garlic
- 3 Tbs minced fresh dill
Combine buttermilk, vinegar, mayonnaise, shallot or garlic and dill in a small jar. Shake until completely blended. Toss with salad ingredients and chill. Serve cold.
Napa Cabbage Salad
- 1 head shredded napa cabbage
- 1 bunch minced scallions
- 1/4 C butter or margarine
- 1 (3 oz) package Ramen noodles, crumbled
- 2 Tbs sesame seeds
- 1 C slivered almonds
- 1/4 C rice vinegar
- 3/4 C peanut or safflower oil
- 2 Tbs soy sauce
- 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
Preheat oven to 350. Combine cabbage and scallions, set aside. Melt butter. Add noodles, sesame seeds and almonds. Stir until thoroughly coated. Spread mixture on a baking sheet and bake until golden brown, stirring often. Heat vinegar, oil, soy sauce and ginger in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and boil 1 minute.
Toss salad with dressing and noodle mixture. Serve immediately.
Napa and Arugula Salad with Peas
String 2 cups pea pods and cut into bite sized pieces. I like mine raw for a crunchy salad but you can steam and chill them if you want. Chop 1 head Napa cabbage and place in salad bowl with peas. Chop I bunch arugula and add. Toss with soy sauce and sesame oil to taste. Top with finely chopped garlic scapes and diced carrots.
Sesame Cabbage Salad
- 2 T rice vinegar
- 4 tsp canola oil
- 1 T dark sesame oil
- 1 T soy sauce
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- 4 cups shredded cabbage (red and green mix is pretty)
- 1 cup shredded carrot
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 2 1/2 T sliced almonds, toasted
- 1 1/2 T toasted sesame seeds
Combine vinegar and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl with a whisk. Add cabbage, carrot, cilantro, onions and 1/4 tsp salt to bowl. Toss to coat.