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.

Curried Cabbage and Carrots

I am still working through a pretty large stash of cabbage from the St Patrick's Day specials (17 cents a pound!) a few weeks ago. Cabbage is one of those wonderful vegetables that can be stored in the refrigerator for weeks--not to mention my "root cellar" garage where I felt like a pioneer when cabbages bought at the end of last year's season were still solid and tasty at the beginning of March.

Now, what to do with all of those bright green heads? I pulled off the thick outer leaves and put them back in the crisper for some stuffed cabbage leaves next week. A big batch of overnight cole slaw has also been shared with friends and is continuing to serve as a side with lots of other meals. There will be vegetable soups soon, along with stir fries, but today I was hungry for something curried.

A web search turned up lots of curried cabbage recipes, so I started with some of these and added my own touches. Since I almost always have carrots--also able to be stored for weeks in the fridge--they could be added, for their color and all the Vitamin A and antioxidants that yellow and orange vegetables bring. While this dish is fine with just green cabbage, I had a bit of red cabbage on hand. Along with half a green bell pepper, this would make this a really colorful side dish.

With all the great vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, don't forget that this does not contribute much protein or B vitamins, so it should be paired with some other healthy options to make a "complete" meal. Not hard to do, as brown rice is a great side dish, and a dollop of yogurt is a great topping. Stirring a can of your favorite beans (black beans are especially attractive) into the vegetables before serving is another good way to supplement the dish--both in terms of nutrition and good taste.

Though I didn't have any marinated tofu on hand, that would also be a good add-in...maybe I can add some to the leftovers. Since this mixture reheats well in the microwave, I can easily try one or more of these variations later.

 Curried Cabbage and Carrots

1 to 2 T olive oil
1 large carrot, sliced--about 1 to 1 1/2 c total
1 medium onion, chopped--about 1 c
 2 to 3 t curry powder, to taste
water
3 to 4 c shredded cabbage (about 1/2 medium head)
1/2 green bell pepper, diced (about 1/2 c)
2 to 3 minced garlic cloves, to taste (may use bottled minced garlic if fresh not available)
1/2 t ground ginger, to taste
1/2 t salt
1/2 c chopped cilantro, stems and leaves (optional)

1.  Put enough oil in a large heavy skillet to just cover the bottom. Heat over medium high heat until the oil is just shimmering.

2.  Add the carrots and onions and saute for about 5 minutes, until the onions are just beginning to turn golden.

3.  Stir the curry powder in and allow to simmer 2 to 3 minutes, until the mixture is very fragrant. Add the garlic, ginger, salt, and 1/4 cup of water and stir to make a kind of curry paste with the vegetables.

4.  Bring the mixture back to a gentle boil and stir in the cabbage, green peppers, and about 1/3 cup more water. Stir to mix, cover, and simmer about 15 minutes, until the cabbage is just tender, stirring occasionally. For best flavor and results, don't overcook!

5.  About 5 minutes before serving, add the cilantro if used and taste for seasoning, adding salt and more curry powder as needed.

Serves 6 as a side dish.