Cabbage

How to store Cabbage

Most varieties will keep in the fridge for a fortnight or so.

Prep & Cooking tips

Remove the outer leaves and cut out their tough central rib. Stack the leaves, roll them up like a cigar and slice into fine shreds. Cleave the tightly packed main centre into manageable quarters, remove the tough root core with a V-shaped cut, and slice it crossways as thickly or thinly as required. Or, simply cut into stout wedges for roasting.

Cabbage is a versatile veg: shred into stir-fries, curries, soups and stews. When raw and finely shredded, its fresh crunch is a welcome addition to salads and slaws. It’s also good quickly stir-fried, or cooked long and slow.

Easy ideas

1. Comfort

Things needn’t always be complicated. These greens are often at their best simply steamed, boiled or slightly wilted in a pan. 4-5 mins, at the most, is all you need. Season with a little salt and pepper, and finish with a bit of butter or olive oil and maybe a restrained squeeze of lemon. Try folding your wilted cabbage into buttery mashed potato to make Irish colcannon, or mixing with cold mash and chopped leftovers and frying as bubble and squeak cakes.

2. Fresh sauerkraut

Although lacking the savoury depth of the fermented form, you can approximate the key notes by braising half a shredded cabbage with 300ml of apple juice or cider, 1 tbsp of cider vinegar, 1 tsp of brown sugar, 4 smashed juniper berries and a generous seasoning of salt and black pepper. Great with bangers.

3. The finishing touch

Very finely shredded, these greens make a fresh and healthy finish to a robust soup or stew. A dark winter minestrone, heavy with tomatoes and beans, would be ideal; even a deep, savoury bowl of miso can be enriched with a tangle of noodle-thin greens. A handful thrown into a stir-fry in the closing minutes adds colour, and can be left slightly undercooked if you’d like a slight crunch.

4. A pinch of this & that

As a side dish it can be a real cultural chameleon. Fry gently with a little desiccated coconut and black onion seed to set alongside a curry. Sauté in a hot wok with ginger, chilli and soy for all things Asian. Some crispy bacon and fragrant caraway invite a union with something dark and gamey. Try a swirl of wholegrain mustard for a spontaneous Sunday side.

5. Wraps

The large, dark outer leaves are robust and are often used as wraps. Remove the central stalk and lightly blanch the leaves. Use to wrap balls of spiced rice or meat and bake or braise in a stew or rich tomato sauce until heated through.

6. Roast in wedges

People rarely think to roast a cabbage, but it works wonders. The edges should be lightly crisp and burnt but the middle soft and tender. Remove any large, loose outer leaves and cut the cabbage into 8 equal wedges. Brush with oil, season well and lay the wedges in a roasting tray to bake in a medium oven for 15 mins, turning once to colour evenly. Add some white wine or cider and bake for another 10-15 mins, turning once, until tender. Some crispy bacon, and a swirl of mustard, cream and parsley would make this truly indulgent.

7. Slaw

It may sound prosaic, but think beyond just carrot and onions. You can make a winter slaw with some apples, beetroot, and celery added; maybe a scattering of walnuts or seeds too, for a bit of texture. Or how about trying something with a bit more zing? Add spring onions, red chillies and ginger, and dress with lime, soy, and some sesame seeds.

8. Preserve

Try extending your cabbage’s life by making a jar of sauerkraut or kimchi. At its simplest, you just mix shredded cabbage with the correct ratio of salt and leave to ferment for 4-5 days to develop that distinct savoury depth. It will need a bit of care and the occasional ‘burp’ as it ferments – but it is worth the wait. You can add all sorts of flavourings once you get a taste for it. We have a few recipes on our website to get you started.

Goes well with

Alliums (Chives, Garlic, Onion)

Spices (Caraway, Chilli, Coriander seed, Ginger, Juniper, Mustard seed, Nutmeg, Pepper)

Anchovies

Apple

Beef

Cured pork

Lamb

Mustard

Smoked fish

Soy sauce