Not all as green as cabbage looking

The 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. Early cabbage was not the full-bodied head we take for granted today, but rather a more loose-leaf variety.

The world's largest cabbage is credited to William Collingwood of County Durham, England, whose prized cabbage in 1865 weighed in at 123 pounds.

As inexpensive as cabbage is, it is one of the richest when it comes to protective vitamins. Raw cabbage cleans the waste from the stomach and upper bowels which improves digestion and reduces constipation. Hailed as a cancer inhibitor, particularly colon cancer, cabbage also stimulates the immune system, kills harmful bacteria, soothes ulcers, and improves circulation. The outer leaves are a good source of vitamin E, making it good for the complexion. Also rich in vitamin C (raw white cabbage contains as much vitamin C as lemon juice) and sulphur, the cabbage is a health food store in a compact edible package. All these benefits are yours at only 24 calories per 3.5 ounces.

There are over four hundred different varieties of cabbage to choose from these days, from round to conical in shape, with flat or curly, tight or loose leaves in green, white, red, and purple colors. The most common is the round, light green or white head variety. Savoy cabbage, originating in Italy, has crinkly leaves and is considered the most tender and sweet. It is the better choice for stuffed cabbage leaves since the leaves are more pliable and stand up better to longer cooking times. The firmer texture of standard green, red, and purple cabbages is better for slaw. Chinese cabbage (Pak Choi or Bok Choy) is not cabbage, but is actually Chinese chard.

Red and purple cabbage take longer to mature, so these types are generally not as tender as green or white varieties. Most often pickled, raw shredded red cabbage also makes a striking addition to traditional green salads. When cooking with red or purple cabbage, be aware that the compound (anthocyanin) that gives the cabbage that beautiful color will also turn it blue when cooked along with any alkaline substance. Since tap water is often full of alkaline minerals such as lime, be sure to add about 1 teaspoon of acidic agent, such as lemon juice, vinegar, or wine, to the pot when using tap water. If your red cabbage begins to take on that blue tinge in any recipe, the addition of the acidic agent will usually bring back the original color.

Some people do tend to suffer digestive distress due to gas from cabbage. Try blanching the whole or quartered cabbage for five minutes, change the water, and then continue cooking in fresh water if necessary.

Cabbage heads should be large and compact (not fluffy), heavy for their size, with tender green leaves showing no evidence of damage or insect nibbles. Fresh cabbage will have a generous amount of wrapper (outer) leaves. Greengrocers 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.

The Savoy variety will not feel as heavy as standard varieties, since the leaves are not as tightly furled.

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GREEN CABBAGE SOUP

Serves 4-6

INGREDIENTS:
9 oz (250g) green cabbage leaves, roughly chopped
2 oz (50g) butter
5 oz (150g) starchy potatoes, peeled and cut into small dice
4 oz (110g) onions, roughly chopped
2 pts (1.2lt) good quality chicken stock
2 fl.oz (55ml) cream or whole milk
salt and black pepper

METHOD:
Melt the butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the potatoes and onion and turn to coat in the butter. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper, cover with greaseproof paper and a lid and sweat, over a gentle heat, for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and paper, add the chicken stock and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked.
Add the cabbage and cook, uncovered, until just cooked, about 4-5 minutes.
Puree the soup in a blender. Return to the pan, check the seasoning and stir in the cream or milk. Bring to the boil and serve immediately. Prolonged boiling or simmering spoils the colour and flavour of green soups.

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Colcannon

A good recipe from Ireland. Especially tasty served with cold baked ham and spiced peaches.

COLCANNON

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium cabbage, quartered and core removed
2 lb potatoes, scrubbed
2 medium leeks, washed and sliced
8 fl.oz milk
½ tsp ground mace
Salt and Pepper
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
8 tbsp unsalted butter

METHOD:
Boil the cabbage in salted water until tender, about 12-15 minutes. Drain well and chop the cabbage roughly. Set aside.
Bring another pot of water to the boil and cook the potatoes until tender. Drain off the water and set aside.
Put the leeks in a saucepan, cover with the milk, bring close to boiling and then turn down to a simmer until tender. Set aside.
Add the mace, salt and pepper, and garlic to the potatoes and mash well with a hand masher. Now add the leeks and their milk and mix in with the potatoes, taking care not to break down the leeks too much. Add a little more milk if necessary to make it smooth.
Now mash in the cabbage and lastly the butter. The texture that you want to achieve is smooth-buttery-potato with interesting pieces of leek and cabbage well distributed in it.
Transfer the whole mixture to an ovenproof dish, make a pattern on the surface and place under the grill to brown. Serve.

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Beef Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

An all time favorite of mine. Reasonably healthy, economical, easy to cook and, as an extra bonus, kids seem to like it!

I find that it's not necessary to tie the rolls so long as you fry them seam side down at first, to seal them and be gentle when turning them. Also keep a watch on the liquid and if it starts to look like it's evaporating too much add a little water or better still tomato juice

BEEF STUFFED CABBAGE ROLLS
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:
12 large cabbage leaves
1 lb mince beef
2 tomatoes, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp uncooked rice
½ tsp dried mixed herbs
juice and grated rind of 1 lemon
½ tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
5 tbsp cooking oil
Sauce:
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
14 oz can Tomatoes, chopped
¼ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp sugar

METHOD:
Place the cabbage leaves in boiling water for 3-4 minutes, until flexible. Drain well and cool.
Put the beef, tomatoes, rice, lemon juice and rind, mixed herbs and seasoning in a bowl. Mix well and shape into small sausages. Wrap each sausage in a cabbage leaf and secure with thread. Set aside.
Make the sauce by heating 2 tbsp of oil in a small saucepan over a moderate heat. Fry the onion until soft, add the garlic and basil and cook for 1 minute.
Add the tomatoes with juice, salt, pepper and sugar to the pan. Stir, cover and simmer over a low heat for 35-40 minutes.
In a large, heavy pan, heat the remaining oil over a moderate heat. When hot, add the cabbage rolls and fry until brown all over.
Pour the sauce into the pan with the cabbage rolls, cover and simmer for 45 mins. Remove the thread from the cabbage and serve.

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