Italian Cabbage Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the name of the Italian cabbage? ›

Black cabbage is an Italian cabbage, also known as Tuscan cabbage, Tuscan kale, or cavolo nero.

Giving sliced wedges of cabbage a quick roasting session in the oven will help them to caramelize and get nice and crispy. Instead of getting soggy and overcooked, the cabbage will have a nice crisp texture and a more complex flavor than raw cabbage. You can also infuse cabbage with tons of flavor by braising it.

Ordinarily, you don't need to soak cabbage before cooking. There are two reasons to soak cabbage. If you cut into the cabbage and notice worms or insects, soak the cut cabbage in salt water for 10 to 20 minutes. This will drown unwanted critters.

Whatever cabbage you are using, cut off the dry end of the stalk. If using Hispi, quarter the cabbage lengthways through its core. If using a regular white cabbage, cut it into manageable wedges, again through the core. Steam for about 10 minutes until it looks rather relaxed and easy to cut through.

The late Middle English word cabbage derives from the word caboche ("head"), from the Picard dialect of Old French. This in turn is a variant of the Old French caboce.

a stupid, dull, or spiritless person. a mentally impaired person who is unable to live independently; vegetable.

Red cabbages can be stored in a cool, dark place for a week to ten days. Before cooking, remove any tired or discoloured leaves and always cook red cabbage with a little vinegar. This preserves the beautiful purple colour – without it, the cabbage will turn blue!

Adding baking soda to your boiling cabbage can help reduce the objectionable smell and maintain the green color long after when it typically turns grayish from cooking for too long. However, this may rid the cabbage of its nutritional value.

Overcooking cabbage releases sulfur compounds that can give it a bitter taste. Another possible reason is that the cabbage was not fresh.

Cabbage contains an insoluble sugar and a lot of fiber. These can cause gas in some people. However, there are some herbs that might be useful, cooked with the cabbage, to reduce the amount of gas. These include dill seed, sage, caraway, basil, oregano, ginger, fennel, and allspice.

Why do you soak cabbage in salt water before cooking? ›

The salt will draw out excess water from cabbage while helping preserve the crispiness. After letting it sit for an hour or two, rinse it with water to remove the salt. Drain and dry the cabbage with paper towels, gently pressing to release excess water.

Put the cabbage leaves or shredded cabbage in a large pan and cover halfway with water. Bring to the boil and cook for 3-5 mins or until tender. This is often followed by blanching – see the next point.

One way to make raw cabbage less bitter, and therefore more palatable, is to let it marinate in something salty or acidic for a while.

Mary Berry's simmered red cabbage and cider recipe

Add in the oil and a knob of butter followed by the sliced onion and shredded cabbage. Fry for three or four minutes until everything starts to soften, then add the cider and redcurrant jelly.

It's true! Cabbage can range from green and red cabbage to Napa cabbage and even Brussels sprouts—yes, it's a type of cabbage! While most cabbage recipes will state which type to use, it's important to understand the many varieties of cabbage and what makes them so different.

CABBAGE SAVOY (Cavolo versa) San Michele.

Radicchio ⁠— also known as Cichorium intybus and Italian chicory ⁠— is a type of leafy chicory featuring dark reddish-purple leaves and white veins. Though commonly mistaken for red cabbage or lettuce, radicchio has a distinctly bitter taste that goes well with many Italian dishes.

Sei una testa di cavolo (you are a cabbage head). Non vali un cavolo: you are not worth a cabbage. Something or somebody that you don't think much of.