Is that a cabbage in your crisper
Or are you just happy to see me?
If you are one of my 112 (questionably) loyal subscribers, I am willing to guess that about 40% of you have a cabbage in your crisper. Cabbage has a much slower rotting time than almost all other vegetables, so I’m also willing to guess that most of you have had that cabbage in there for a very long time. Cabbage, in my opinion, is the most underrated vegetable of all of the vegetables. It’s dirt cheap, it has incredible longevity, it’s versatile, and it’s good for you. Like, really good for you.
Obviously, it’s Irish.
Allow me to make my case.
Cost: The average head of cabbage costs under $2. I just had to do a cost analysis for my Food Systems class and learned that one serving of cabbage (which for me means 1/5 of a head) comes out to $0.40. That’s right!! Forty cents, people.
Storage and Freshness: When is the last time you left a vegetable in your fridge for an entire month without a foul odor emanating? The answer is never! Unless said vegetable was a cabbage. You can seriously just leave it in the crisper with minimal consequences, or if you want to savor every single leaf, wrap it in some plastic. Using a whole head is impressively difficult, so take good care of your cabbage in between meals.
Nutrition: Listen. Half a cup of cooked cabbage (which is not even that much) gives you 1/3 of the Vitamin C you need for the entire day. So, cabbage? In the winter? Clutch. Cabbage reduces inflammation, has a ton of Vitamin K and this stuff called sulforaphane which apparently lowers your risk of cancer, and when fermented, does wonders for your tummy and digestion.
Versatility: Cabbage got a bad rap in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when the Bucket family ate cabbage soup every day, but they were on to something! It was their own fault that they ate the same recipe over and over, because you can do about a thousand things with a head of cabbage. Not all recipes allow for interchangeable cabbage types, but I almost always act like they are, so do with that what you will.
The next time you don’t know what to do with a head of red or green cabbage that comes in your CSA box or that you have left over after you made the slaw for your fish tacos, these vetted recipes will be here for you:
Charred (my preferred method)
Tahini Smothered Charred Cabbage
Braised
Turmeric and Coconut Cabbage with Chickpeas
Sprinkled in and on Delicious Things
Cheesy Cabbage Tteokbokki
In Pancake Form
Okonomiyaki
Smothered
Marcella Hazan’s Rice and Smothered Cabbage Soup
Stuffed
Ina Garten’s Stuffed Cabbage
If you live in NYC, brave the wait at Superiority Burger for their vegan stuffed cabbage rolls. I am not lying when I say it was one of my top bites of 2024 so far.
Cheese
Cabbage Gratin
or
just keep it around. Cabbage doesn’t have to be the star of the show. I throw it in every single stir fry that I make and sometimes I’ll use a mandolin to whip up a little slaw (with greek yogurt, herbs, salt, lemon, and kewpie mayo) to put on top of fried cutlets or potatoes.
For those of you who may have forgotten, kimchi is also cabbage in its greatest form. (Sorry saurkraut).
This week has been unbelievably stressful and busy for everyone in my life so all of this cabbage talk has led me to share a 3 minute lunch suggestion for those days when you have zero time, low energy, and a growling tummy. Done in the time it takes you to fry an egg.
On Sunday or Monday make a big batch of rice (I do 2 cups) to get you through the week. When it’s time for lunch, put some rice in a bowl with one ice cube and a paper towel on top, this will help make your leftover rice the perfect texture. Heat for 30 seconds, remove ice cube.
Fry an egg to desired egg-ness
Mix in some furikake seasoning and soy or ponzu sauce with your rice.
Top with kimchi and the egg and BAM, you have lunch (or lately, for me, breakfast).
Customize — the options are endless and great for using whatever is in your fridge. I like to add green onions, pickled radish, bamboo shoots, sautéed zucchini or mushrooms, meat — anything!
Life has been coming at full speed this month, I hope that you have all been able to spend more time in the kitchen than me. I’m excited to keep learning and cooking with you at all kinds of different paces.
Listen to the new St. Vincent (welcome back Annie, I’m OBSESSED), buy the largest head of cabbage you can find, and remember to slow down when you can and where you can.
Hope this helped.
xx
Rebecca
I can't keep the stuffed cabbage from Thai Diner out of my head