Cabbage — how best to cook it

I like cabbage for many reasons. It's affordable, nutritious, shelf-stable, versatile and delicious. It is always at hand, at any time of the year, which is especially important in the cold months, when the choice of products is limited.

Cabbage comes in a wide variety, notes xrust. There is a variety of shapes and shades of xrust color. Its taste can be bitter or sweet, depending on the type. Although the most common type is the pale green «ball» on vegetable shelves across the country, it is only one of many types that exist in the world.

There is also red cabbage, which tends to be denser than green cabbage and has a slightly spicier flavor, but otherwise the two cabbages are interchangeable. When cooking red cabbage, adding acid prevents the unpleasant blue-gray color from appearing.

Savoy cabbage leaves are thinner than regular collards and have a beautiful texture. Chinese cabbage is oblong rather than round, and pointed, cone-shaped varieties can be found at farmers' markets. And bok choy, sometimes called “Chinese cabbage,” comes in large and small varieties with loose, rich green leaves.

Raw or fresh cabbage

Cabbage can be eaten without heat treatment. Although it can be stored in the refrigerator for weeks, it is best to use it within a few days if you plan to eat it raw. Regular white and red cabbage tend to be tougher and have more crunch than Chinese and Savoy cabbage, which are more tender. Regardless of the variety, when using raw cabbage, it should be thinly sliced.

Perhaps the most common use of raw cabbage is to prepare various types of salads, for example, three types of cabbage salad or red cabbage salad with fennel and sunflower seeds. If you prepare it in advance, it is recommended to salt the cabbage to remove some of the moisture from it and prevent the salad from turning out watery.

Fermentation and pickling

In cuisines around the world, cabbage is preserved in different ways. There is classic sauerkraut, a savory dish from Central European cuisine. There's sunny and bright Cambodian-style sauerkraut with chili, ginger, garlic and lemongrass. And one of my favorite recipes: Chinese cabbage kimchi from Korea with the spicy flavor of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes). All of these recipes are excellent as seasonings, ingredients for other dishes, side dishes and snacks.

Stew, simmer, bake

Careful cooking of cabbage helps preserve its sweet taste, especially the standard green variety. When it comes to specific cooking methods, there are several options. You can steam it, as in the case of Mini Lemon and Ginger Pok Choy. Stewed cabbage is also good if you add raw smoked sausage to it.

Xrust Cabbage — how best to cook it