Today's Harvest

We are very pleased to announce that we have a CSA Booth/Country Kitchen Czar (Czarina): our wonderful shareholder Heather Woodward has kindly volunteered to fill that slot. Yaaaaaay, Heather!!!

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Vegetable of the Week

“Cabbage” elicits a sense of simple fare and comfort food to the general public. This week we feature cabbage, and we ask the question, “Is something more hiding in the cabbage patch?”

Scientifically, cabbage belongs to the species brassica oleracea, which includes broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kohlrabi, kale, collards, and the Oriental leaf vegetables such as pak choi or petsai, familiar to us as napa cabbage, (actually more closely related to the turnip family). Cabbage is a leafy vegetable ;generally, the leaves grow tightly over each other to form a spherical head. Green, white, red and savoy are some varieties of headed cabbage.

Historically, cabbage is estimated to have been cultivated originally from the Mediterranean region, South Western Europe, and southern England about three thousand years BCE. Certainly, it seems to have stood the test of time. But, what a test! It seems for every culture where cabbage was harvested a (pardon the pun) strong opinion about cabbage bloomed. Early peoples found cabbage easy to dry and store and therefore cabbages provided sustenance through harsh winters. However, cabbage, as all green vegetables were thought to bring ill health, “black vapors” and even the plague itself from the Middle Ages through the 17C. And, yet, cabbage maintained itself as a staple food for the poor.

Cabbage has sustained people in harsh weather, in times of revolution, and in times of poverty. Today we celebrate what hides in the cabbage patch:

Nutrition (from Vegetables in Paradise)

In its raw state, cabbage contains iron, calcium, and potassium. High marks are given for its vitamin C content. Cabbage is also high in vitamins B1, B2, and B3. Lengthy cooking tends to lower the nutritional value considerably.

Red cabbage is higher in fiber than green, with 4 ounces of it boiled and drained offering 2.7 grams. It's higher in vitamin C, offering 25.8 grams for 4 ounces cooked. Red cabbage is also higher in calcium, iron, and potassium than its green cousin

Researchers have learned that foods in the cabbage family inhibit the growth of breast, stomach, and colon cancer due to phytochemicals called indoles. These indoles tend to burn up the female hormone, estrogen. Indoles also tend to ward off cell changes that lead to colon cancer. Some of the phytochemicals seem to produce anticancer enzymes. A University of Utah School of Medicine study on 600 men revealed that those who ate the most cruciferous vegetables had a much lower risk of colon cancer. On the side of caution, however, consuming excessive amounts of cabbage may contribute to thyroid problems, possibly goiter.

A well-known remedy for healing peptic ulcers is drinking cabbage juice. A medical study at Stanford University's School of Medicine gave thirteen ulcer patients five doses a day of cabbage juice. All were healed within seven to ten days with the vitamin U contained in the cabbage juice.

Storing

Wrapped in a plastic bag and stored in the refrigerator, cabbage will keep up to three weeks. However, for its best flavor and nutrition, serve cabbage at its freshest. If you bring home a cabbage that you've just purchased at a farmers' market, taste it that same day. More than likely, it will have a divine sweetness that old cabbage loses. That sweet cabbage was probably picked the day before market.

Preparing Cabbage

Cabbage is easily prone to discoloration. To prevent this, use a stainless steel knife when cutting it. Add a little vinegar to the cabbage before tossing it into a salad. To help red cabbage retain its color during cooking, use only a small amount of water to which vinegar or lemon juice has been added.

Raw

Shred red, green, savoy and marinate Japanese style, in a little vinegar, sugar, and salt.

Cole Slaw has a million variations and is an easy way to get your indoles. Simply shred any variety of cabbages or combine more than one variety for appealing color. Add shredded carrots, raisins, apples, nuts, seeds, and herbs, and dress with oil and vinegar seasoned with a little sea salt.

Include the core of the cabbage. Many people toss it out, but it has healthful nutrients and deserves a place in a healthy diet.

Chop some beautiful salad savoy into your green salad. Enjoy the color, flavor, and textures.

Add chopped cabbage to the blender along with other favorite vegetables and some water or juiced vegetables to make a raw soup.

Add cabbage to your juicer to get those indoles in liquid form.

Boiled

Drop chopped, sliced, or quartered cabbage into an open pot with a large amount of boiling water, and cook as briefly as possible, 4 to 8 minutes. This method helps cabbage retain its color and reduces odor. [Many people who learned not to like cabbage as a kid felt that way because it had been over-cooked… I include myself in this number! ~ Tom]

Braised

If you begin to smell the volatile sulfur compounds when cooking (that odor associated with cooking cabbage), you've cooked your cabbage too long. Keep the cooking brief to prevent loss of nutrients and avoid that familiar cabbage odor.

Another trick to avoiding the cabbage odor during cooking is to add an English walnut, shell and all, to the cooking water. A stalk of celery added to the cooking water may also help to reduce or eliminate that cabbage smell.

Slice, shred, or chop the cabbage. Cook in a covered saucepan in a small amount of lightly salted liquid until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Red cabbage is a little tougher than the green and takes a bit longer to cook. It's especially tasty in the form of sweet and sour red cabbage, taking about 1 1/2 to 2 hours simmered over low heat.

Save any cooking water and add it to soups or vegetable stock.

Steamed

Cut a small cabbage into quarters, a large one into eighths. Put into a saucepan with about 3/4" of water and cover pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn heat down to low. Steam 6 to 8 minutes and test with a fork for tenderness.

If you are steaming chopped or shredded cabbage, use only about 1/4 " of water in the bottom of the pan, and cook 3 about minutes.

Stir Fried

Shred or slice any variety of cabbage. Heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a large wok or skillet. When hot, toss cabbage in and stir frequently until softened, about 3 or 4 minutes. You can combine other vegetables with the cabbage for a more interesting dish. If adding herbs, such as garlic, parsley or fresh dill, add them at the end of cooking. If you want a spicy dish, with spices such as cumin, coriander, chiles, cinnamon, allspice, or cloves, add them to the hot oil and stir for one minute before adding the cabbage.

Since cabbage rates so high on the nutritional scale, you'll want to eat it often. To avoid the monotony of eating the same old cabbage dish over and over, it helps to have a variety of ways to serve it. We hope you'll enjoy this tasty recipe, and add it to your list of favorites.

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