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Cooking cabbage

(45 Posts)
millymouge Sat 26-Dec-20 11:22:14

When I was young I remember mother used to cook cabbage in boiling water with a good pinch of bicarbonate, supposed to help it keeps its colour. She then drained it in a colander and pressed it hard with a wooden paddle. This squeezed out any water (and probably the last of any vitamins). We ate it and apparently must have enjoyed it at the time.
It’s not a vegetable I cook now, but I have been given a bag of fruit and vegetables and there is a lovely “pointy” looking cabbage in it. Would not want to waste it, hate waste, and wondered if any of you ladies had an idea of how to prepare it into a tasty, healthy veg for a meal. You always seem to come up with good ideas, so help please.

Blossoming Sat 26-Dec-20 11:24:58

Shredded and steamed very quickly, served with a knob of butter and plenty of black pepper.

Alexa Sat 26-Dec-20 11:26:51

That sounds like what Tesco calls "sweetheart cabbage". It has few coarse leaves on it and can be eaten raw, if finely chopped.Great for the bowels.

25Avalon Sat 26-Dec-20 11:32:20

Stewed cabbage smelt vile and tasted even worse in those days. What you have is probably a Hispi cabbage which is delicious. Wash it and cut it into strips and boil in water for about 12 minutes or until it’s tender. Drain the cooking liquid into gravy if you are making any. Drop a knob of butter into the cooked cabbage and enjoy.

annsixty Sat 26-Dec-20 11:35:37

Shred finely and rinse.
Put a large knob of butter in a fairly large
Pan.
Add the cabbage and stir fry for about 5/6 minutes,add salt if you like.
Everybody eats and enjoys mine.

Hetty58 Sat 26-Dec-20 11:36:12

I love cabbage. Don't add bicarb as it just destroys vitamins. I'd agree with others above, just chop it and boil it - but for five minutes only. I keep the strained liquid and drink it later!

lemsip Sat 26-Dec-20 11:37:18

I love broccoli! but it stinks the place out while cooking ! help

midgey Sat 26-Dec-20 11:37:48

I love hispi cabbage raw, it is delicious! Just shred it.
If you are going to cook it Avalon’s suggestion of 12 minutes would be too long for my taste, drop it into boiling salted water and cook until just soft. The butter and pepper is the icing on the cake!

Urmstongran Sat 26-Dec-20 11:38:23

I love spring cabbage best. Remember years ago having to check each leaf for earwigs whilst washing it? Ugh. I cook it shredded up for 5 minutes in salted water, having cut out most of the harder stalks from the centre of each lead. Drain & chop up in a colander to stop it being ‘wet’ then return to the hot saucepan back on the hob (heat off) for one minute with a knob butter and some white pepper. Dark green veg are so good for us. I love sprouts too - not just on my Christmas dinner!

Must put spring green cabbage on my list for next week. Thank you for the reminder!

silverlining48 Sat 26-Dec-20 11:40:18

I cook red cabbage in a pot or in the oven without adding water as there is sufficient liquid in the leaves. I add sliced apple, or pear, spoonful of sugar and a dash of vinegar and maybe cinnamon. If its on top of the stive you need to stir regularly. It is delicious and freezes easily.

I have cooked green cabbage similarly without sugar and cinnamon, though with the cabbage you have I think steaming with a dab of butter would be lovely.

Happiyogi Sat 26-Dec-20 11:44:51

I’m another fan of the finely shredded and briefly cooked method. And the butter and pepper!

I think we have very different varieties of most fruit and veg nowadays so they definitely don’t need anything like the long boiling sessions of the past.

Kim19 Sat 26-Dec-20 11:48:58

Seem to recollect my Granny calling that sweetheart cabbage? I would chop it up and plunge into lightly salted boiling water for a few minutes then drain and transfer to heavy frying pan combine with chopped up potatoes and bacon (or any other meat) for delicious fry-up. I'm salivating at the very thought and - I don't have any cabbage!! Good luck!

25Avalon Sat 26-Dec-20 11:53:49

Yes 12 minutes should be maximum, so for some 5 minutes will be fine. When I was young 20 minutes was recommended but a friend of my mothers cooked it for an hour until it was soggy with no colour!

grandtanteJE65 Sat 26-Dec-20 12:10:50

The cabbage you are talking about sounds like pointed white cabbage or spring cabbage.

It needs only to boil for a couple of minutes and then simmer for about five more minutes.

Make a white sauce from the water, or some of it, and pop the strained cabbage into it.

Ordinary white cabbage (winter cabbage) should be covered in water , salted and boiled for about 20 mintues.

Red cabbage should be shredded finely, put into very little water, about and inch in the bottom of the pan, salted and cooked for 30 minutes. You can add a peeled, cored and finely sliced cooking apple if you like.

Once the cabbage is tender add sugar and vinegar to taste.

Puzzler61 Sat 26-Dec-20 12:21:00

Put it in a stir fry?

Jaxjacky Sat 26-Dec-20 12:21:29

I chop finely and stir fry with a little olive oil and bitter.

Lewie Sat 26-Dec-20 12:26:25

The only cabbage I buy is 'sweetheart' cabbage with the pointy top. Chop finely and boil for 10 minutes. It needs hardly any cooking, and tastes divine smile

Kamiso Sat 26-Dec-20 12:28:07

My cousin lived with my Granny. Granny used to put the cabbage on to boil soon after said cousin went to work. It was then cooked all morning and served up at midday for lunch. We lived nearby and the smell was foul. Must have been boiled to a mush.

We usually have bubble and squeek on boxing day which is a family favourite. Home made damson chutney and slices of bacon and turkey brought round yesterday by DD1.

TerriBull Sat 26-Dec-20 12:30:35

Sometimes I make Colcannon. Savoy cabbage is very nice when it is sauteed with bacon.

SJV07 Sat 26-Dec-20 12:34:43

Lemsip

Blanche broccoli spears, drain well, add to dish with oil, breadcrumbs and grated cheese. Bake for 10-ish mins. Much nicer.

nahsma Sat 26-Dec-20 12:45:29

Shred cabbage finely, blanch in already boiling salted water for 1 minute then drain thoroughly and leave in the colander under a cloth to steam out. Slice an onion finely, fry very gently in 1/2 tablesp each of oil and butter; when very soft and starting to brown add a finely chopped clove of garlic and finely chopped small red chilli (seeded or not to taste) and cook for another couple minutes. Turn the heat to high, tip in the cabbage and stir fry for two or three minutes, until some bits of cabbage are just starting to crisp. Season with sea salt flakes and black pepper. Enjoy.

Callistemon Sat 26-Dec-20 12:48:23

annsixty

Shred finely and rinse.
Put a large knob of butter in a fairly large
Pan.
Add the cabbage and stir fry for about 5/6 minutes,add salt if you like.
Everybody eats and enjoys mine.

That's how I cook mine too.

I just shake the pan a couples of times or stir with a wooden spoon, cook for 4-5 minutes if that.

Nannagarra Sat 26-Dec-20 12:50:01

Having cleaned cabbage and leeks I thinly slice them then add small florets of broccoli. As stems take longer to cook I cut them even more finely.
I place all the veg in a bowl, add a knob of butter, then cover with a saucer. Usually I microwave on high (800) for 3 minutes. (Depending on the volume of vegetables more cooking time may be needed.) Usually there is only a teaspoon of residual liquid, if that. I toss the veg and serve immediately but freezing in silicone muffin moulds works well too.

SusieFlo Sat 26-Dec-20 12:57:31

More often than not I cook shredded with cauliflower broken up small and chopped in a short while when cooked.

SusieFlo Sat 26-Dec-20 12:58:21

Cook cabbage that is. Spring cabbage is best though.