Seedlings are fabulous right now with One Organics and Mad Mountain Family Farm bringing along a very extensive range of common and unusual seedlings. Check out both this week and fill any bare patches in your vegie garden.
One of our many brassicas in abundance are CABBAGES – especially the cannonball (green) cabbage, white pointed cabbages and the red cabbages. So the frequently referred to humble cabbage is not so humble. There are many varieties and this most versatile of vegetables is delicious in salads, in hearty soups and in spicy stuffings.
Cooking or preparation tip: The cannonball (green) cabbage has dense leaves that make it perfect for shredding into coleslaw or fermented into sauerkraut. It is also delicious braised, stewed or steamed (max. 4 minutes) especially with sliced silver beet and served with lashings of butter and is perfect added to casseroles.
Red Cabbage
Also known as the purple cabbage or red kraut, this red cabbage changes its colour according to the pH value of the soil it grows in – the leaves grow reddish in acidic soil and more purplish in neutral – acting as a litmus test of sorts.
Cooking or preparation tip: Red cabbage turns blue-grey as it cooks and colour pigments break down but this is easily mitigated by adding some form of acid such as lemon juice or vinegar when cooking. This cabbage is also delicious when sliced thinly into salads like coleslaw, braised with bacon, apple cider vinegar and apples OR fermented into sauerkraut.
White pointed cabbage: This cabbage has a pointed shape, a mild flavour and is juicer and easier to digest than ordinary white (green) cabbage. It is delightful in salads such as coleslaw and also used as a wrap instead of a grain-based wrap or stuffed as in Golubsti (Ukrainian stuffed cabbage).
Cabbage generally is wonderful for fermenting as this adds extra health benefits so if you are interested – here is a link to some instructions for krauts.
arch that we can improve our health by improving our diet so enjoy some roasted or steamed broccoli this week.
And I love this coleslaw and herb recipe below.