Cabbage

Cabbage is a very sturdy vegetable that grows well throughout the world. In the Northern Hemisphere cabbage is a summer crop while in the Southern Hemisphere it's a winter crop. In the Intermediate zone, two crops are quite often grown each year. Cabbage originated in Western Europe and was domesticated about 200 years ago. Prior to domestication, cabbage was picked wild and used predominately as medicinal herbs. Today, cabbage is a common vegetable that is used in coleslaw, salads and sauerkraut.

More than thirty states grow cabbage commercially. Major producers are California, New York, Texas, Florida, and Georgia. Cabbage is also imported from Canada and Mexico.

Selection & Storage
Select cabbage that has a firm head and is heavy for its size. Avoid cabbage that feels light because this is a sign that it has lost a lot of its moisture.Trimming the butt ends of the cabbage too short when harvested can cause this. Cabbage heads should not look puffy or have any blemishes or withered leaves. Avoid green cabbage that has signs of whitening since this is the sign that it has been stored for too long. It is important not to buy halved or quartered cabbage, even if it is well wrapped, because once it's cut, it begins to lose vitamin C rapidly.

Head cabbage stored in a plastic bag in the refrigerator's humid vegetable bin will last at least a week. Savoy and Napa cabbages should be consumed within three or four days. Kohlrabi globes will last a few weeks in the refrigerator, but the leaves are more perishable and should be used within a few days.

Preparation
The most common method of preparing cabbage is to shred it using a food processor or a cheese/vegetable grater. Hand shredding is the simplest method but difficult for some. Another simple preparation for head cabbage is to core the head and cut into wedges that can then be put in braised or baked dishes or steamed on its own. Microwaving is also another good way to cook cabbage. Either way, it is important not to overcook this vegetable to preserve the nutritional value, for aesthetic reasons and taste.

The outer leaves are also very nutritious so make sure that you do not discard them. To prepare the leaves, remove them from the cabbage and flatten them on a cutting board, one on top of the other. When you get a half dozen or so leaves stacked cut them into strips. For crisper coleslaw, soak the shredded cabbage leaves in cold water, and then dry them in a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels to remove all the moisture.

When preparing kohlrabi, separate the leaves from the bulb. Steam or stir-fry the leaves as you would spinach or chard. After peeling, the bulb can be cubed or sliced and used in stir-fries, stews, and gratins, or as a vegetable by itself.

Tony's Tip
Try shredded cabbage in a taco instead of lettuce. Cabbage holds up better, particularly in hot weather, and it's a lot more nutritious than iceberg lettuce.

Tony's Favorite Recipe
Braised Cabbage with Chestnuts and Apples

Varieties
There are basically four types of cabbage, or head cabbage to be specific, since the extended cabbage family is quite large.

Green cabbage is the most common cabbage with pale green outer leaves leading to an almost white center. The two main green cabbage varieties are:

Domestic is medium sized, sweet and used mainly for coleslaw.

Danish is larger than the Domestic, somewhat spicier and is preferred for cooking.

Red cabbage is exactly the same as green cabbage except for color.

Savoy cabbage has a color similar to that of green cabbage, but the leaves are crinkled. Its mild flavor and tender texture is adaptable to cooking and salads.

Napa cabbage, also called Chinese or celery cabbage, is oblong rather than round with a white base and pale green tops on the leaves. The flavor is sweet and mild.

Kohlrabi always reminds me of vegetables from outer space, those green balls with thin stalks shooting out from them like appendages. As with head cabbage, there is a red version with essentially the same flavor. The name kohlrabi literally means "cabbage turnip" in German, which is logical because its hearty flavor is very much like turnips and turnip greens.

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