Cabbage Vs. Kale

TIP OF THE DAY: Make Cabbage The New Kale

March 2, 2016 at 8:42 am · Filed under Meat & Poultry, Recipes, Tip Of The Day, Vegetables-Salads-Herbs

Head Of Cabbage
[1] Familiar green cabbage (photos #1, #2, and #4 © Good Eggs).

[2] The equally familiar red cabbage.

[3] Less often found: Savoy, the prettiest cabbage (photo © Monika Grabowska | Unsplash).

Bok Choy (White Cabbage)
[4] A Chinese cooking staple: bok choy.

Head Of Napa Cabbage
[5] Napa or Chinese cabbage (photo © MG Produce).

St. Patrick’s Day evokes corned beef and cabbage—a dish the Irish learned in America, by the way, from immigrant Jews on New York’s Lower East Side. But we’d like to use the occasion for a plea:

Make cabbage the new kale. Even if you’re not tired of trendy kale, we sure are.

We’re turning back the clock. We were a cabbage lover before we ever heard of kale. Coleslaw and Nana’s stuffed cabbage were favorites while we were still in kindergarten. Next came sauerkraut on hot dogs and the braised red cabbage served with Sauerbraten, the German classic that marinates beef in vinegar or wine.

Cabbage is sharp and crunchy when served raw in salads and slaws. Unlike lettuce, it doesn’t wilt under dressing.

It becomes soft and suppple when braised over low heat, made into soup or cooked in casseroles. Heat brings out some sweetness.

It is both crisp and tender when grilled or added to stir-frys.

It plays well with other vegetables: brassicas, root vegetables, potatoes.

Check out the delicious recipe below, Thai Steak Salad With Red Cabbage.

CABBAGE VS. KALE

Like kale, cabbage is a brassica (cruciferous vegetable), packed with anticarcinogen antioxidants.

It even has fewer calories. Here’s a nutritional comparison.

Eat This Not That highlights 10 greens that are healthier than kale. (This article, based on a report from the Centers For Disease Control [CDC], begs the question: When will chard become the next supergreen?)

Finally, it’s a much more versatile ingredient, as you’ll discover when you keep reading.

TYPES OF CABBAGE

With these choices, it doesn’t get dull:

Bok choy/white cabbage, crisp, broad, white stems with a nutty nuance; tender, deep green leaves that taste not unlike spinach.

Green cabbage, ubiquitous, slightly peppery when raw.

Red/purple cabbage, slightly earthier than green cabbage.

Savoy cabbage, deeper green color, beautifully crinkled leaves, thinner leaves with mild flavor.

Napa† cabbage/Chinese cabbage, oblong shape with frilly, sweeter, softer leaves.

You can use them interchangeably in recipes where the cabbage is chopped or sliced, like cole slaw or soup. The round heads are interchangeable, except when color or texture is important.

While they do have different flavors, bok choy and napa cabbage are interchangeable in stir-fries and braises.

Bok choy is white-stemmed with dark green leaves; napa cabbage is pale green with crinkly leaves.

Napa cabbage has a very mild flavor along with a peppery kick. Bok choy has a stronger flavor, similar to green cabbage.

WAYS TO USE CABBAGE

For starters:

Baked cabbage chips (recipe)

Casseroles

Lettuce cup substitute

Sandwich wraps

Sauerkraut

Sides

Slaws

Soups and stews

Stuffed cabbage

Emeril’s favorite cabbage recipe has bacon and is simmered in beer.

We’d love to know your favorite cabbage recipe.

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*The Brassica family of cruciferous vegetables includes arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, horseradish/wasabi, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, rapeseed/canola, rapini, rutabaga and turnips, among others.

†Here, “napa” does not refer to California’s Napa Valley. The word originates from a Japanese term that refers to the leaves of vegetables that are edible. The variety originated near Beijing, China.

RECIPE: THAI STEAK SALAD WITH RED CABBAGE

In addition to Thai salads with cabbage and stuffed cabbage, we now regularly make cabbage wraps.

Thanks to Quinciple, a weekly curated delivery of farmer’s market produce, for this recipe.

Ingredients For 1-3 Servings‡

1 sirloin steak

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Juice of 1 lime (2 tablespoons)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

½ shallot, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup red or purple cabbage, thinly sliced

¼ pound baby greens

¼ cup mixed fresh cilantro and mint leaves

2 tablespoons peanuts, chopped

Preparation

1. SEASON the steak generously on both sides with salt and pepper. In a large skillet with just a few drops of oil in it, sear the steak on each side for 2 to 3 minutes, or longer for more well-done beef. Sirloin tastes best when cooked hot and fast to medium rare. Let the steak cool while you prepare the rest of the salad.

2. WHISK together the juice from the lime, the soy sauce, fish sauce, shallot, and olive oil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

3. SLICE the steak thinly. Toss the greens and cabbage with the dressing. Divide the salad between two plates and top with the steak. Garnish with the mint, cilantro, and peanuts.