Happy St Patrick's Day Cabbage

I find it very interesting to see how we Americans take festive or historical days from other cultures and give them our own spin and importance, Cinco de Mayo for example.
Today we celebrate another of these adaptive holidays, St. Patrick's Day. While lots of people will be celebrating with sometimes raucous parades and lots of green beer, some of us frugal types will relish the opportunity to buy some of those "Irish staples"--cabbage, potatoes and corned beef--at their lowest annual prices.

Several years ago, the New York Times carried an article that praised the lowly cabbage and gave some suggestions for using this versatile vegetable. Before we get to the many options I have here on the blog, you might want to check that item out:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/dining/12vege.html?ref=dining

For now, I have once again stocked up, buying as many heads of cabbage that I could store in my refrigerator and garage "root cellar." Kept cold, cabbage will stay fresh and ready to eat for weeks, so I can be assured of a supply for salads, soups, and more.

Use the Search box above to find all the many entries for cabbage-containing dishes I have included over the years. Or just go to one or more of the few selected links below:

Cole Slaw
First, whas it probably the most frequent use for cabbage today, cole slaw. The following post includes the non-creamy kind of slaw with no mayo. It's a great piquant side for sandwiches or "casserole" main dishes.
http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2014/03/the-best-cole-slaw-ever.html

 
Maybe this year you could make corned beef sandwiches (on rye of course) with a side of cole slaw instead of the "traditional" corned beef and cabbage that many people really don't like.



Soup
Another old standby for cabbage is as an ingredient in vegetable soups. Here, the variations are endless, and you could start by just adding finely shredded cabbage to your favorite soup recipe, along with the vegetables that need up to an hour of cooking. Use a little if you are trying to introduce your family to this "new" addition and more as you begin to find out how much added good flavor the cabbage provides.

The soup found at the following link is a surprising one if you think of cabbage as only a smelly, slimy side your mother forced you to eat. Here, the combination of squash, cabbage, and onions results in a flavorful soup that will have everyone coming back for seconds. As a vegan option with lots of bright-colored vegetables, it's a nutritious power house as well.
http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2015/03/sweet-and-simple-vegetable-soup.html

This Potato Soup post includes cabbage only down in the bottom list of variations; I think I would move it up to a more prominent place if I were to write the entry again. In fact, I just made the clam chowder variation this week with several cups of finely shredded cabbage included, and it was a winner.
http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2015/02/basic-potato-soup-with-lots-of.html

And then there is this soup, made with lots of "leftover" vegetables and beans. While the recipe calls for just a cup of shredded cabbage, I almost always include at least double that amount. Again, as noted in the comments, this is just a starting guide for making wonderful soups using the foods you have in your kitchen at any given time.
http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2014/05/rainy-day-soup-weather.html

No beans? Then let's try barley as an added, vegetarian, protein boost.
http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2014/05/black-bean-and-barley-vegetable-soup.html



Sides
Not ready for soup? How about this?
http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2015/04/curried-cabbage-and-carrots.html




Well, you get the point. Cabbage is something that can be a great addition to your menus, now or any time of year.  So pick up a head or two and start shredding away!

 

Still to come:  Stuffed Cabbage! With all these wonderful outer leaves, I am ready to spend the weekend preparing several batches to pop in the freezer. Watch for it here on the blog soon.

Cabbage...and Fish?

This week is a great time for those of us who love cabbage. In every state I have lived in, the grocery stores all feature these fat green balls of crunchiness at really low prices in honor of St Patrick's Day. Since this is a vegetable that keeps very well (for weeks!) in the refrigerator, I like to make room in the vegetable bin to buy as many heads as I can store adequately.

Thanks to that "traditional" St. Patrick's corned beef and cabbage dinner, corned beef and red potatoes are also on sale, but what if you want to take advantage of the cabbage specials but are not eating meat right now (or ever, for that matter)? Since we are also in the middle of the Lenten season, most stores are also continuing seafood specials, and cabbage and fish are more readily paired than we might sometimes think.

Fish tacos are popular in more and more places around the country, and a very common side with these is cole slaw. Slaw is also a regular feature on fried fish dinner specials as well, so you will certainly want to consider that option. However, I have another suggestion, especially good if you end up buying more cabbage than you ever thought possible to use up. At 15 to 25 cents a pound for produce with almost no waste, how can the frugal cook not snatch up some bargains?

What follows is a recipe for braised cabbage and vegetables, a great side for fish fillets but also for pork chops or, for vegetarians, served with fried rice and a fruit tray. I made it today with butternut squash as I am trying to finish up my root cellar stash, but sliced carrots would be just as good in place of the squash.

The real key here is to cook the cabbage only until just done, with a bit of crispness still part of the overall mix. I think those of you who have only had cabbage boiled to death in way too much water (even if the liquid is flavored with corned beef spices) will be surprised at the sweet fresh flavor of this dish.

 

 

 

 

 

Braised Cabbage and Vegetables

1 to 2 T olive oil
2 c onion, julienned--one large
2 c cubed butternut squash (8 to 10 oz)
1/2 c coarsely diced green pepper--about half a large pepper
2 T minced garlic--about 6 to 8 cloves
4 c shredded cabbage--about 2 lb
1 c spaghetti sauce (optional)
water as needed
2 c frozen peas, not thawed
1 c coarsely chopped spinach leaves (optional)
1/2 to 1 t dried basil
1/2 t marjoram
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Heat oil in large skillet. Stir in onions and squash and saute over medium high heat until the onions begin to brown slightly and the squash is just beginning to soften a bit.
2.  Stir in the pepper, garlic, cabbage, and basil and marjoram. Stir in the spaghetti sauce and perhaps half a cup of water (or all water) and cover pan. Allow to cook about 10 minutes or so, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is just barely softened. If the vegetables begin to stick to the pan, add a few more teaspoons of water.
3.  Taste for seasonings and stir in the peas and spinach. Continue to cook for about 3 to 4 minutes, just until the peas are thoroughly heated through and the spinach is slightly wilted.

Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Variations:
Substitute thickly sliced carrots for the squash.
Substitute broth for the spaghetti sauce and water.
Add more (or less) spinach or substitute chopped kale leaves for the spinach.


Now for the fish.

I used tilapia for the photos here, sprinkling filets lightly with a Cajun seasoned salt to add a dash of spice and color.  It cooked quickly in the microwave while the vegetables were simmering, so this made for a really fast meal. Add some rolls or rice for a starch and maybe some applesauce for a fruit side. (Think again of all the fried fish specials and how often they include applesauce along with the crispy fish and cole slaw.)

For details on microwaving fish for really fast meals, you can check out my last post, at http://frugalfastfun.blogspot.com/2014/03/getting-more-fish-into-your-diet.html

(Thanks to the Rochester (MN) Post Bulletin for their Food section photo this week--worked perfectly for this posting!)

Cabbage Gets Its Due

You may have noticed a little bit of a pattern in the past couple of posts, the ubiquity of cabbage and sweet potatoes.

The frequent use of sweet potatoes in my kitchen lately has been because of the stock that I gathered when they were on special before Christmas. Unlike the hard winter squashes and apples that are still enjoying the root cellar coolness of my garage, the sweet potatoes are clearly showing signs that they need to be used, soon.

The presence of cabbage in these last couple of dishes is not so seasonal. I have long loved this wonderful vegetable, especially in the days when my budget was really, really tight. It seems, though, that its reputation for being a thrifty cook's ingredient may have led some to ignore it. Well, that and the all too often mishandling that it has had over the years, when it has been boiled into a smelly, almost slimy side.

Today, just by coincidence, I found this article in the New York Times and wanted to share it with you all, especially if you were questioning trying these recipes just because of the cabbage.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/12/dining/12vege.html?ref=dining

Go ahead and try using cabbage, perhaps shredded to replace part of the lettuce in a salad or added to a soup or stew for some extra body and flavor. And then watch for sales in early March. Corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day usually brings out some really good prices for this great ingredient. It will keep in your refrigerator for several weeks, so go ahead and buy a couple of heads while the price is right.

High Nutrition Stuffed Tortillas

If increasing the nutritive value of some of your favorite meals is on your New Year’s resolution list, this quick lunch or light dinner meal will help in many ways. It includes a dark orange vegetable, a member of the cabbage family, some soy, whole grains, and no added salt beyond what is in the cheese—and that portion size is small enough to give some flavor without loading the overall meal with less than desirable fats.

To go with these burritos and round out the healthy theme, some crunchy apple or pear wedges on the side or a dish of diced orange pieces mixed with some stemmed grapes will provide great color and flavor balance.

Health Nut Burritos

1 c diced sweet potato

1/3 c chopped onion

canola oil

1 c edamame, precooked and shelled (see NOTE)

1/4 c chopped cilantro

cayenne pepper to taste (1/4 to 1/2 t)

1/4 to 1/2 t cumin

1 c finely shredded cabbage

1/2 c grated “taco blend” or Colby or mozzarella cheese

4 medium whole-wheat tortillas

Pour a small amount of oil in a medium sized skillet, just enough to “film” the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and sweet potatoes and cook slowly over medium heat until the onions are golden brown and the potatoes are just tender. (I like to cover the pan and add a few drops of water after about 3 or 4 minutes.)

Stir in the pepper, cumin, edamame and cilantro, stir, cover, and turn heat to low. Cook for another four to five minutes, until the mixture is well-warmed.

Meanwhile, warm the tortillas in the microwave for about 25 to 30 seconds.

Place a tortilla on each plate, arrange a quarter of the sweet potato mixture down the center of the tortilla and top with shredded cheese. If desired, put in microwave for 10 to 15 minutes, just long enough to melt cheese. Top with shredded cabbage and roll or fold like a burrito. If desired, add salsa and/or yogurt or fat free sour cream before rolling.

Serves 2 for lunch, 4 for a snack.

NOTE: Trader Joe’s is now in our town, and they have very reasonably priced edamame in the freezer section, already cooked and out of the pod. More and more grocery stores are now carrying this very healthy food as well.

Make-ahead idea:

The sweet potato and edamame mixture can be doubled and refrigerated or even frozen for future meals. Spoon single serving amounts on to a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then pack all these little lumps of filling into a freezer bag, ready for as many burritos as you want for a quick meal or snack.

Lasaghetti--or is it Spaghagna?

I had decided on a vegetarian lasagna for dinner before realizing that I had a lot of spaghetti and no lasagna pasta. Never fear. We would just have a hybrid dish that would need some kind of new name. Whatever it would be called, it went together quickly and packed a great nutrition punch. The Lasaghetti (my choice) went well with a winter salad and then some of the ubiquitous Christmas goodies for dessert--some home-made coffee cake and cookies the boys had decorated the last time they visited. Some coffee and conversation and the evening was complete.

Lasaghetti

1 large onion--about 1 1/2 cups
2 c butternut squash puree (see NOTE)
8 oz frozen chopped spinach
28 oz can or jar spaghetti sauce with mushrooms--or your favorite sauce
1/2 bell pepper, finely chopped
1 t garlic powder (I was in a hurry so didn't use fresh garlic, but that would certainly be good instead)
1 t mixed herbs--basil, rosemary, thyme and marjoram
7 to 8 oz low fat ricotta (about half a container)
6 oz grated cheese--I used a mixture of mozzarella, parmesan, provolone, and asiago but mozzarella alone would be fine too
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti

NOTE: I would suggest that you get in the habit of baking squash (or sweet potatoes when you have extras) whenever you are using the oven for something else. When cooking squash, always cook at least twice as much as you need so that you can mash the extra and tuck into the freezer for later use.
If you don't have any squash made ahead for this dish, you can omit it OR you could grate or thinly slice a couple of carrots, microwave them until very tender and then stir into the sauce in place of the squash.

1. Cook the spaghetti as directed. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, saute the onion and stir in the spaghetti sauce and all the remaining ingredients except the ricotta and cheese.
3. In a large flat casserole--about 11 to 12 inches in diameter (or square)--spread about a third of the sauce mixture. Spread half the spaghetti over the sauce. Top with another third of the sauce and then spread the ricotta over this layer of sauce. Cover with the remaining spaghetti, spread with the remaining sauce, and then sprinkle with the grated cheese.
4. Cover and bake at 360 for about 1 hour, until bubbly in the center. If desired, remove the cover the last 15 to 20 minutes for a crustier top.
5. Remove from oven and let sit for about 15 to 20 minutes for easier serving.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.
This will serve at least 6 people and could easily be stretched to 8.

Red and Green Winter Salad with Raspberry Dressing

This recipe uses the chart I included in my December 16 post. I made the dressing using some raspberry syrup prepared from the summer's prolific berries. Any purchased vinaigrette dressing could be used instead.

2 to 3 cups shredded cabbage
2 to 3 cups torn spinach leaves
1 T sliced leeks (because I had some on hand; any onions could be used in place of the leeks)
1 large or 2 medium red skinned apples, cored but not peeled and coarsely diced
1/3 c coarsely chopped walnuts
2 to 4 T crumbled feta cheese, to taste

Toss together and serve the dressing on the side. Pass the pepper grater as well.

Raspberry Vinaigrette

3 to 4 T raspberry syrup (see NOTE)
1 t dried basil, crushed
1 to 2 T olive oil
1 to 2 t balsamic vinegar
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients and taste, adjusting amounts as desired.

NOTE: I made the raspberry syrup by combining 2 cups of fresh or frozen raspberries with 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes. Strain through a fine colander or sieve. If you want a sweeter, or thicker, syrup, increase the sugar to 1/4 cup. If you don't have raspberries for making this syrup, you can use frozen apple-raspberry 100% juice concentrate instead. This will be quite a bit sweeter, so you may want to substitute wine vinegar for the balsamic, and increase the amount of vinegar slightly.

Cabbage Rolls

Starting this blog has caused me to change a lot of habits! I am far more a "dump and taste" than a "measure everything" cook, which means my usual instructions and amounts are sometimes more than a little hazy! To be sure any recipes I provide are workable for any reader so inclined to make them, I will be testing each one with measuring spoon and cup in hand before including them here.

Still, there will always be some "about" or "approximately" to describe amounts. That actually should be encouraging for even beginning cooks. For example, in the recipe for cabbage rolls below, I have included volume measurements for the onions, celery, and carrots but these really should be approximations only.

Why?

First, there are the definitions of "large," "medium," etc. I normally would have written the recipe to include a large onion, one medium carrot, and a stalk of celery, but what do those size descriptions really mean? As it turns out, the "large" onion I used was just under two cups after being coarsely chopped. What if you start out with a "large" onion and find that you have three cups of chopped onion, or maybe only a cup and a half? It won't mean that the chemistry of the dish will be ruined—this isn't like using only half a cup of sugar in a cake instead of two cups—but it will mean you will end up with quite a different flavor. The same differences apply to the meaning of "medium" carrots and a "stalk" of celery.

Even if we have similar ideas of what constitutes a large onion, however, the likelihood of any onion yielding exactly two cups after chopping is pretty slim. You might have a couple of tablespoons less or maybe a third of a cup more. You might chop yours more finely or pack the pieces down more firmly. The point is—if you end up with 2 1/4 cups of chopped onion, don't throw out the extra quarter cup, and if you have only a cup and a half, don't feel like you must cut up another one to fill up the measure. Approximations are fine!

Not everything, of course, is ever going to be completely measured. You will still find a lot of seasoning that will be listed as "to taste." Two reasons for this: these wonderfully natural flavors—whether it be apples in a pie or a stir fry of many kinds of vegetables—will vary from one batch to the next. The carrots in one day's stir-fry will be far sweeter than those tossed into the same mixture next week. Your dried basil may be fresher than mine and so you will need less.

And of course there is that matter of personal taste itself; perhaps I like thyme and you do not or you avoid black pepper while I might lay it on with a heavy hand. Adjusting seasonings to your taste is what will make each recipe truly your own.

Remember--cooking is both science and art. Measurements help get the basic "science" right, but your adjustments make each dish your own work of art.

So here is today's first cabbage recipe, measured to a science and then open to your own adaptations. Enjoy!

Cabbage rolls

NOTE: I had four large cabbages from my pre-Saint Patrick Day shopping so had plenty of loose, easy to work, leaves. While you can buy a large head of cabbage and work to carefully unwrap the outer leaves, a far better way to make this dish is to take the largest leaves off each cabbage you buy over time; wash the leaves well and put in a large plastic bag in the freezer. When you have accumulated 15 to 20 leaves, just remove them from the freezer and prepare as in the recipe instructions.

Ingredients
Approximately 17 medium to large cabbage leaves
Filling
1 pound ground turkey, 85% lean
2 c chopped onion
1 c fine breadcrumbs
1/2 c diced celery—including leaves
1/2 c finely grated or chopped carrot
1/3 yellow pepper, diced (okay, so I forgot to measure this before I put it in the mixture!)
1/2 c nonfat dry milk powder
2 jumbo eggs (that was the only size I had in the house; extra large or even large could be substituted without any adjustment in total number)
Sauce
1 28 ounce can or jar spaghetti sauce, any flavor
Approximately 1 cup cooking water from cabbage (optional)

1. Prepare cabbage.
Put about three inches of water in a large Dutch oven (or deep sided 12 inch skillet) and bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, remove and wash well the coarse outer leaves from several large cabbages, trimming off any very coarse area near the base. Place the leaves in the water and cook just until they are bright green and pliable. Remove immediately and drain. Reserve the cooking water.
2. Prepare the filling.
Combine all the filling ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well blended.
3. Make the rolls.
Spread out a cabbage leaf and spoon about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the filling mixture in the middle. Try to be sure that no part of the filling is more than 2 inches across so that all the meat will be fully cooked. The larger the leaf, the more filling you can include. Unless all your leaves are very uniform in size, don't worry about using different amounts of filling!
Roll the leaf around the filling, kind of like a burrito, tucking in the edges so that the filling is completely wrapped up.
4. Place each cabbage roll back in the pan used to boil the leaves. put the largest rolls around the outside edge. This number of rolls fit snugly in my 12 inch Dutch oven. You may need to stack a few of your rolls if your pan is not as large. If so, try to keep the center less densely packed, to be sure that you do not have an area of undercooked rolls.
5. When all the rolls have been placed in the pan, pour the spaghetti sauce over all the rolls. If this does not completely cover the rolls, add a little of the reserved cooking water.
6. Cover the pan and place in a 325 degree oven for an hour. Check after about 45 minutes; if necessary, move some of the rolls from the center to the outside edges.

These freeze well and can be quickly reheated in the microwave.

Corned Beef and Cabbage-Take Advantage of the Specials This Week

Almost the Ides of March and what does that mean for those of us who cook? Cabbage, potatoes, corned beef, and, sometimes onions, are all on sale this week. No matter where I have moved, I have learned to watch for really big cuts on prices for these foods at some of the grocery chains, and this year is no exception.

As a result of loss leaders prices this week, I was able to buy twenty pounds of cabbage today (four really big heads) for 15 cents a pound. The lowest price over most of the winter has been 59 cents a pound, so I paid only $3 today for what would have been almost $12 last week. Then there were the two "point cut" corned beef portions; at $1.49 a pound, these will provide a lot of boneless meat at about $2.50 a pound less than these were running just a week or two ago. Ten pounds of all purpose potatoes at another store were only $1.99, right next to some five pound bags of red potatoes that were going for $2.29.

All well and good you say, but what to do with twenty pounds of cabbage? Or even one piece of corned beef?

Good questions, so here are some ideas.

First, the traditional corned beef and cabbage meal.

Today's corned beef is probably one of the greatest convenience foods in the meat counter. You just put it in a pot with water to cover, add the seasoning packet that seems universally packed with these things, and then simmer the meat for the amount of time noted on the package. Only when the meat is tender will you add the vegetables. Usual additions are potatoes, carrots, and onions, added about 45 minutes before you are ready to eat. If you cut these in large chunks, they will not only cook more quickly than if they are left whole; they will more uniformly absorb the flavor of the broth.

And no, I didn't forget the cabbage. One of the biggest mistakes many people make is to put the cabbage in too early. Cut it in wedges no more than 2 inches wide and then add it only about 20 minutes before you are ready to serve the meal. This will allow the cabbage to cook and soak up the corned beef flavor without getting mushy and discolored.

How many vegetables should you include? This is where you adjust to your family's tastes; a general rule of thumb would be to use a medium to large potato (or two small potatoes) and a small to medium carrot for each person to be served. If you want onions (and I always do), use about half a medium onion per person; cut these in quarters. Depending on your family's taste for cabbage, plan about 2 to 3 two-inch wedges of cabbage for each person. Keep in mind that the more vegetables you have in proportion to the meat, the less salty will be the final result.

And the meat? Cook a three to four pound brisket for up to six or seven people. The meat is boneless, but somehow it does seem to cook down more than other cuts. Besides, you'll want leftovers for Reuben sandwiches or corned beef hash.

Leftover corned beef

What else to do with the leftover meat? Actually, you can use it in any casserole (hot dish for Minnesotans) that calls for ham. I have not tried the recipes at http://southernfood.about.com/od/cornedbeefandbrisket/tp/leftovercb.htm, but this might be a good site to visit just to get some other ideas. The meat can also be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to a month.

Cabbage

Now, for all that cabbage. Keep in mind that cabbage will keep in the crisper drawer of most refrigerators for weeks and weeks. Don't keep it tightly wrapped in plastic and, if you keep it for an extended period of time, don't be surprised if you need to peel off an outer leaf or two that may have dried a bit.

Cabbage is far more versatile than we sometimes realize. For example:

• Coleslaw—this is always good, especially in the winter when the choices for tossed salads are often very limited. 
• Stir fries—shredded cabbage mixes remarkably well with other vegetables in all kinds of stir fries.
  

• As a lettuce replacement in tacos and other Mexican foods. Don't be surprised; you may stumble across some "authentic" Mexican restaurants that routinely make this substitution.
• Stuffed cabbage leaves—if your heritage includes some of these recipes, the St. Patrick's day cabbage is often the best of the year. You may have noticed that there is much less trimming of the cabbage when it is on sale for only pennies a pound, but take advantage of this and use those large outer deep green leaves (with even more food value than usual) to make some savory cabbage rolls.

Shredding the Cabbage

The hardest thing about cabbage is probably the shredding. If you have a food processor, this is  the easiest way to get the fine shreds we all seem to prefer. But what if you don't have one, or you just want to shred a wedge or two? Here is the basic technique:

Use a large, very sharp knife; I like my cheap, serrated, "Ginzu kitchen knife as seen on TV."
Place the head of cabbage on a large cutting board and cut in half and then in quarters. If the head is very large, cut the quarters in half (or even quarters) again. The key to fine shreds is to have pieces of cabbage that are not too large as you begin cutting. Remove all but one wedge from the cutting board.

Turn the wedge of cabbage so that the larger, outer side is away from you. Hold the wedge firmly with your left hand (reverse for you lefties) and begin cutting very narrow strips from the cabbage, starting at the right end. If the shreds are too long, grasp the bunch of shreds and cut across the other direction. Repeat with as many wedges of cabbage as you need for your recipe.

While you are cutting, you may want to shred extra for future recipes. Put leftover shredded cabbage in a plastic bag, sprinkle with just a few drops of water, and store—without being tightly sealed—for three to four days in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator.

Don't forget the color--red cabbage is often featured at this time of the year too. Cutting it into somewhat thicker shreds will help emphasize its color even more.