The word cabbage itself derives from the French caboche, a colloquialism meaning "head." Cabbages range in color from pale green to purple-red, and have dense, compact heads with smooth, tightly packed, waxy leaves. Savoy cabbage has leaves that are brighter green and crinkled, while ruby red to purple colored leaves distinguish red cabbage. Chinese cabbage, such as Pe-Tsai, grows in an elongated form with tightly wrapped, pale-green leaves. However, the Napa variety is more barrel-shaped with yellowish-green leaves. They are all flavorful. Cabbage is an excellent source of Vitamin C.

Storage
Store dry, unwashed cabbage in the refrigerator, preferably in the vegetable bin. The outer leaves may eventually get floppy or yellowish, but you can remove and discard them to reveal fresh inner leaves. Cabbage can keep for more than a month. Once it’s cut, seal it in a plastic bag and continue to refrigerate for several weeks.

Handling
Rinse the cabbage under cold running water just before use. Peel away a few of the outer leaves, then cut the cabbage according to your needs with a big, sharp knife, and then chop, sliver, or grate.

Cooking
To steam cabbage, cut it into wedges, leaving some of the center core attached to the sections to keep it from falling apart during cooking. Stew with onions and potatoes, or thinly slice it and sauté in a little olive oil, salt, and black pepper. Cabbage may also be cut in fine shreds and used raw in salads, or in stir-fry dishes.


Info from MothererNature.com.

Also some infoexcerpted from Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables: Seasonal Recipes and Stories from a Community Supported Farmby Farmer John Peterson & Angelic Organics (Gibbs Smith Publisher). Check with your local farm or bookstore for availability. Additional recipes, charts, signed copies of this book, and quantity discounts available at www.AngelicOrganics.com/cookbook.

Arugula Coleslaw
Recipe from VegWeb.com
Serves 4
Fresh, nutty, crunchy.

• bunch of fresh arugula
• 1/2 head of cabbage
• 1 cup mayo
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Shred cabbage with grater/chopper and set aside.
2. Rinse arugula and cut off stems. Roll arugula length wise into rolls. Cut roll with sharp knife to make shreds.
3. Mix mayo, salt and pepper, arugula and cabbage together.

Spiced Indian Cabbage
2-4 servings; 20 min - 10 min prep

• 2 cups chopped cabbage
• 1 cup of diced potatoes
• 1-2 green chilies
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
• salt

1. Heat the oil.
2. Add the cumin and mustard seeds.
3. Add ginger, garlic, chillies and onions.
4. Cook till the onions are a little soft.
5. Add the potatoes and cabbage.
6. Add salt and turmeric powder.
7. Cook till the consistency which you like your cabbage and potatoes to be cooked.
8. Add chopped cilantro.
9. Serve with Indian bread.

Coleslaw with Cilantro and Chives
There is almost nothing better to do with a young, fresh head of cabbage than to make it into a fluffy slaw. It’s refreshing on a hot summer’s day and pairs nicely with all kinds of fresh raw vegetables. Here we simply accent the cabbage with cilantro and chives, but you can add julienned carrots, bell peppers, celery, or whatever crunchy fresh vegetable you like. Shareholder.
Serves 8 to 10

• 4 to 6 cups shredded cabbage (green, red, or a combination) (2 to 3 small heads)
• 1/4 cup minced cilantro
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. Toss the cabbage, cilantro, and chives in a large bowl or container; refrigerate, covered, for at least 1 hour or overnight.

2. When ready to serve, mix the oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl until well combined. Pour the dressing over the chilled cabbage mixture. Mix well just before serving.

More coleslaw ideas at Suite 101.