cabbage
Also known as: Green Cabbage, Slaw-cut Cabbage, head of cabbage
A leafy vegetable that grows in tight, round heads; eaten raw as in coleslaw, fermented into sauerkraut, or cooked -- braised, sauteed, or boiled. The tightly packed layers mean it holds up to long cooking far better than looser leafy greens without turning to mush as quickly.
Buying guidance
Choose a head that feels heavy and dense for its size with tightly wrapped, unblemished outer leaves -- a head that feels light or has leaves separating from the core is starting to dry out. Red cabbage is more assertive and slightly more peppery than green, and it bleeds color into anything it's cooked or dressed with.
Substitutions
- Napa cabbage -- more tender and milder, cooks faster; best when a delicate texture is wanted.
- Savoy cabbage -- more tender, crinkled leaves than standard green cabbage, similar flavor.
- Red cabbage in place of green, or vice versa -- interchangeable in most uses; red will tint anything it's cooked or dressed with.
Tips & common mistakes
Boiling cabbage hard, or cooking it far longer than it needs, brings out a strong sulfurous smell and flavor that a quicker saute or braise avoids -- the same vegetable can taste sweet and mild or flat and sulfurous depending mostly on how long and how hard it's been cooked.
Storage
A whole head keeps for several weeks in the refrigerator, among the longest-lasting fresh vegetables, since its tightly wrapped outer leaves protect the interior -- just peel away any leaves that dry out. Once shredded or cut, the exposed surfaces dry out within days and it should be used up quickly.