CABBAGE, CAVOLO NERO & BRUSSELS SPROUTS
Cabbages, Brussels sprouts, cavolo nero and kale are members of the large brassica family, which includes broccoli and mustards. They all contain sulphurous compounds which add little to the flavour, but are responsible for the distinctive odour of overcooked sprouts.
When cut, the brassicas also release mild to hot mustard oils. Cabbage and Brussels sprouts aren’t the spiciest in the family, so we use pungent relatives like mustard and horseradish to bring out their natural bite. The hot oils in the mustard family are subdued by cooking. That’s why raw cabbage makes spicy coleslaw, while steamed cabbage is almost sweet.
Like broccoli and other cool-weather crops, cabbage and Brussels sprouts should be kept cold to inhibit spoilage microbes. Around 0°C is perfect. They need moisture and air, too. Even after harvest, most vegetables are still alive. The cells are still respiring, taking up oxygen and giving out water.
Cabbage is good steamed, braised, baked, stir-fried, shredded, or thrown into soups. Use the darker outer leaves too, which contain more vitamins than the pale heart. Winnigstadt is a classic pointy-headed variety. January King is green tinged with red. Ornamental is spectacular, with pink, green, and white leaves. The red cabbages, like Red Drumhead, tend to be denser. Savoy cabbages are crinkly.
At the market you may see Brussels sprouts on their long, thick stalks, because that way they stay fresh longer. Do not do much to sprouts: trim and halve them and then cook in 2–3 cm salted water, uncovered, until tender, about 5 minutes. Then drain and dress them with olive oil and lemon or orange juice while still warm. Noisette is a traditional French variety, small, with a nutty flavour.
Cavolo nero, or black cabbage, is Italian. It sends up a spray of long, blue-black crinkly leaves with pale green spines. It has a fine, strong flavour, which stands up well to chillies and garlic. It is delicious steamed, or in ribollita, the classic Tuscan soup with bread and cannellini beans. Tuscan is a good variety.
Kale is another wonderful dark leafy green for winter. It needs a bit more cooking than cabbage and is delicious in soup. Try the red varieties Red Russian and Redbor.
SEASON
Cabbage and kale: all year. Brussels sprouts: September to March. Cavolo nero: August to December.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR
A heavy, tight cabbage with no spots or yellow leaves. Tight sprouts with green leaves, not yellow, on the stalk if possible.
STORAGE
Unwashed, outer leaves on, in a porous bag, as cool as 0°C. The average fridge is 4–7°C. Best eaten within a week. Sprouts on the stalk keep for 2 weeks.
MAKING THE MOST OF A SURPLUS
Cabbage is not worth freezing and tastes terrible tinned, except in sauerkraut. Blanch sprouts in salted water for 1–2 minutes, dry and freeze whole.
MORO’S VILLAGE STEW
At Moro’s restaurant the menu is Spanish with a North African and Islamic gloss. Caraway seeds make this humble stew stand out. The flavour improves if you make it the day before. Kale is a good substitute for cabbage.
SERVES 4
1 large yellow onion, chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced small
4 tbsp olive oil
3 large cloves garlic, smashed, peeled, and chopped
2 tsp whole caraway seeds
20 g flat-leaf parsley, trimmed and chopped
400-g tin whole plum tomatoes, broken up, with juice
¾ tsp salt
300 g Savoy or black cabbage, roughly chopped
400-g tin borlotti or pinto beans with juice
200 g sourdough or other sturdy bread, crust removed
black pepper
best olive oil for drizzling
- In a large saucepan, sauté the onion, celery, and carrots in 2 tablespoons of the oil until the onions are soft and the vegetables begin to turn golden.
- Add the garlic, caraway seeds, and half of the parsley and fry for another 1–2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, their juice, and some salt. Simmer for about 10 minutes.
- Bring to the boil some lightly salted water and blanch the cabbage for 1–2 minutes. Drain, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Add the cabbage and the beans to the pan with the reserved cooking water and the bean juice.
- Cut the bread into large cubes if you are going to serve the stew straightaway.
- Add plenty of black pepper and check the salt.
- When the carrots are tender, stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and remove the pan from the heat.
- If you make the stew a day ahead, stop now and add the bread when you reheat it.
- Add the bread and a little more water if necessary to reach the right texture. The bread soaks up liquid, but the stew is meant to be thick enough for a spoon to stand up in. Leave it to stand until the bread is soaked through.
- Add the remaining parsley and drizzle with the best olive oil.
COLCANNON WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS
SERVES 6
1 kg floury potatoes such as Maris Bard, peeled and quartered
500 g Brussels sprouts, trimmed and quartered
5 spring onions, trimmed and chopped
150–200 ml milk (to taste)
1 tbsp butter
- Bring to the boil 2 saucepans of salted water. Put the potatoes into one and cook until tender, about 15 minutes, then mash by hand.
- Drop the sprouts into the other pan and cook until just tender. In the last 20 seconds, add the spring onions. Drain.
- Heat the milk to just short of boiling and add the butter. Mix all the ingredients together, adding the milk bit by bit, depending on how creamy you like it. Check the seasoning and adjust as you are adding the milk.
CAVOLO NERO WITH CHILLI & GARLIC
SERVES 4
400 g cavolo nero, trimmed and chopped
2 small fresh red chillies, finely sliced
2 tbsp Garlic-in-Oil (see Basic Recipes)
- Steam the cavolo nero in a few centimetres of salted water until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain.
- In a large pan, sauté the chillies with the Garlic-in-Oil. Add the greens and cook for 1–2 minutes. Season to taste.
BRAISED RED CABBAGE
Another dish that improves with keeping overnight.
SERVES 4–6
1 large head red cabbage, quartered and thinly sliced
2 large crisp eating apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
500 ml apple juice
2 tbsp olive oil
50 ml white wine vinegar
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
plenty of pepper
- In a large pan, sauté the cabbage and the apples in the oil over a medium heat until they begin to soften, at least 5 minutes.
- Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until the cabbage is completely soft and the liquid has almost gone, about 20 minutes. Season to taste.