Cabbage
Cabbage is staple in my house, mostly because it is one of the few vegetables that is available locally year-round without the need for preservation of some kind. It is extremely versatile in the kitchen: excellent raw, roasted, sauteed, slow cooked, boiled, quick pickled, and fermented. It can be stuffed and made into stuffing. It can be the garnish on top of your meal or the base. It can sit in your fridge for months and remain crisp and crunchy beneath its outer leaves. Is there anything cabbage can't do? We have cabbage available almost all of the time, with the exception of our early spring CSA season. Summer CSA and Winter CSA members can expect a cabbage option available every week. See below for a brief Cabbage Guide.
Storage Tips
Please do not toss your cabbage carelessly in the fridge! It will wilt! Wrap the whole cabbage in the large bag from your CSA box, or put the whole thing in a sealed container. When stored properly, cabbage can last months in the fridge. The outer leaves may go limp after a while, but simply peel away to find crisp leaves waiting on the inside. If you only use half or a portion of the cabbage, you can continue to store the remaining cabbage in a bag or sealed container in the fridge for many months longer. You may have to trim away the exposed surfaces, but cabbage is meant to be stored!
Featherstone’s Cabbage Guide
Green Cabbage is probably what you think of when you hear cabbage. Smooth, dense leaves that are excellent in coleslaws !
Red Cabbage is similar to green cabbage but adds a nice pop of color to salads and slaws! Color my bleed a bit when cooked.
Caraflex Cabbage is an early variety with a unique conical shape. Generally a bit smaller than our green cabbages, these are not as tightly wrapped and a bit more tender. Great for fresh eating as well as roasting!
Napa Cabbage has thinner, wrinkled leaves that have a nice crunch at the stem. Commonly used for kimchi, it is also a great base for a salad and a nice addition to stir fries.
Savoy Cabbage has wrinkled leaves similar to a napa cabbage, but has a leaf and stem structure more similar to a green cabbage. Their more delicate leaves make savoy a great option for wraps or stuffed cabbage.