Enjoy Our Farmview Cabbage for National Cabbage Day
This morning, Farmview Market opened its doors to the public as we welcomed some of our first customers to the butcher shop, grocery, and café. Did you know that February 17th also happens to be National Cabbage Day?Cabbage may seem dull, but there are numerous benefits to eating this leafy green. And, cabbage has an extensive and interesting history! Not to mention, we carry several varieties of farm fresh, locally sourced cabbages at the market. Pick some up for a fresh farm-to-table recipe today!
Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea) is related to broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts. But, unlike their cousins which were farmed much later in history, the first cabbage plants can be traced to sometime around 1000 BC. Historians believe that the first people to cultivate and domesticate cabbage were the Celts in Northern Europe. And, the famous philosopher Pliny the Elder wrote of seven different kinds of cabbages being grown in the Roman Empire. Cabbages come in a wide range of colors, from green to purple to white.
Cabbage can be prepared in many ways. The simplest options include eating the vegetable raw or steaming it, though cabbage can also be pickled to preserve it – like in sauerkraut or Korean kimchi. The British also use cabbage in a delicious peasant dish called bubble and squeak. Bubble and squeak is made primarily with leftover potatoes and boiled cabbage and eaten with cold meat.
In the U.S., cabbage is used primarily for making coleslaw. Cooked cabbage has often gotten a bad rap here, because of its sometimes unpleasant odor and taste. However, this only happens when the leafy green is overcooked. With the right recipe and proper care, cabbage is excellent!
Try these two great recipes below. It’s a simple, nutritious, yet delicious way to celebrate National Cabbage Day. Test it for yourself and be sure to post your cabbage creations on our Facebook page!
Slow Cooked Garlic Pepper Cabbage Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cabbage
- 1 tbsp. garlic pepper seasoning
- 1 stick of butter, cut into pats
Directions
Slice and chop a medium head of cabbage.
Place pieces, in the crock, of the slow cooker.
Add 1 tbsp. garlic pepper seasoning and the pats of butter.
Cook on low for 4-5 hours, stirring halfway through cooking, if possible.
This dish makes a perfect companion to black-eyed peas!
Homemade Sauerkraut
This recipe size is ready within 3-5 days and keeps for several months.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds Cabbage
- 1 1/2 tbsp. Kosher salt
- 1 tbsp. Caraway seeds
- 1/2 tbsp. Juniper berries (optional)
- 2 qt. Canning jar, wide mouth
- 1 Small jelly jar
Directions
Julienne the cabbage. Place in a mixing bowl and add salt and spices.
Work/massage with hands until the cabbage starts to release moisture. Do this every couple of hours for the first day.
Place the mixture in the canning jar. Fill the small jelly jar with water and place into the larger jar to weigh down cabbage. Cover the jar with cheese cloth. Make sure the cabbage is completely submerged to prevent molding.
The batch should be ready in 3-5 days, but some prefer to ferment their sauerkraut for as many as 10 days for extra flavor. This is relative to personal taste preference. A foam will likely occur on top of sauerkraut. This is normal, and should be skimmed off as it forms during or at the end of the fermenting process.