Couple of Good Cabbage Recipes

April 27, 2009...just 8 months until Xmas.

Yesterday I planted cabbage plants in my garden. Usually I grow all my plants from seed, because I'm cheap. But this year I purchased my eight plants from a local garden center for a total of $3.50. According to my personal garden ledgers they should have been planted last week, but I was busy planting all of the other vegetables that can handle a late frost.

What did I plant last week? Potatoes, onions, peas, kohlrabi, Swiss chard, lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes, turnips and beets. Cabbage plants are very hardy, which makes them easy to plant. But I still give them extra protection for the first week by taking a large coffee can, cutting out the two ends and slipping it over the plant to protect it from our strong winds and too much hot sun. The other reason I like to plant cabbage early is because it reduces insect problems, and I dislike pouring the “powdered poison” on them.

I plant cabbage for two reasons: sauerkraut and coleslaw. Well, actually three reasons, as I like a big chunk of fresh cabbage in my beef stew. But here are the recipes I use for homemade sauerkraut and coleslaw.

Sauerkraut

This is an old recipe that I adapted out of my 1970s Home Canning Book.

• Cabbage, outer leaves removed – around 6 pounds
• Canning salt – 2 ounces (3 ½ tablespoons)

1. Rinse and clean your cabbage, then quarter it and and shred it finely. I shred it by hand with a good knife instead of a chopper or blender which makes it to mushy for me. Sure, it takes more time, but what else do you do when you're retired?
2. Put about five pounds of the shredded cabbage and the canning salt into a large pan and mix it well with your hands. Then pack the cabbage solidly into sterilized canning pint jars to within ½ inch from the top. Fill each jar with cold water to within ½ inch from the top. Put a canning cap on each jar and screw on the band firmly until it is tight.
3. I put the jars on top of my fridge where they will ferment for 3 or 4 days. You can put them in any place that is fairly cool and out of the way.
4. After 3 or 4 days, when fermentation ceases, wash the outside of the jars, retighten the screw bands and process the sauerkraut in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.

Such a simple way to make sauerkraut and so good!

Coleslaw

This recipe is an adaptation from one I got back in the late '80s from the Black Kettle Restaurant, in Brown Deer, Wisconsin.

• Dry mustard – 1 tablespoon
• Sugar – 1 tablespoon
• Celery seed – 1 teaspoon
• Salt – 1 teaspoon
• Small onion, grated – 1
• Vegetable oil -- ½ cup
• White vinegar -- ½ cup
• Large cabbage, shredded – 1 head

1. In a small bowl, mix the salt, celery seed, sugar and mustard. Add the dry ingredients to a blender, along with the onion, oil and vinegar and blend on high for about 1 minute.
2. Place the cabbage in a large bowl and pour the dressing over it. Mix until it is combined.

Mmmmm Good! And remember that cabbage is good for your lower... Well, I won't go there this time.