From growing to harvesting to cooking to eating… we love our garden produce at The Uplands! That’s why we’re showcasing some of our most beloved veggies and sharing favorite recipes. Enjoy!

Cabbages grow slow and steady, taking a relatively long time to reach maturation. Cabbages are considered “heavy feeders”, meaning that they require many mineral nutrients from the soil to thrive. They deplete the soil quickly and are considered energetically expensive. Additionally, some gardeners find cabbages difficult to grow. They are sensitive to heat, and can be a magnet for many garden pests. For these reasons, harvesting a cabbage can be a special and long-awaited moment.

We have experimented with a few varieties of cabbage in The Uplands garden: the purple-tinged “dead-on”, the pointed “caraflex”, the light-and-spongey “emiko”, and the classic “capture”. While each variety has its own special flare, we tend to prepare them all similarly in the kitchen. Here are some of our favorite ways to cook cabbage:

Sauté

The key to sautéing cabbage is to be patient. The longer the cabbage cooks, the more its sugars break down into sweeter versions of themselves. This is a similar process to cooking caramelized onions!

• Remove the outer 2 leaves. Slice your cabbage head in half, and cut out the hard stem in the center
• Place the cabbage cut-side down on a cutting board, and slice width-wise into thin strips
• Bring a skillet over a medium-high heat flame and add 2 tablespoons of butter & 1 TBSP olive oil
• When butter is melted, add the cabbage to the pan. Stir to coat all cabbage in butter/oil mixture. Add salt, pepper, and any other favorite herbs or spices (we like dried thyme).
• Continue to cook for about 20-25 minutes. Only stir every 5 minutes or so to allow the cabbage the brown
• Once cabbage is fully tender and golden-brown, remove from heat. Add apple cider vinegar (or your favorite vinegar or lemon juice) and salt and pepper to taste and enjoy!

Roast

Roasting cabbage is quick & easy, and it creates a nice charred flavor if done well.

• Remove the outer 2 leaves. Slice your cabbage head in half, and cut out most of the hard stem in the center
• Place the cabbage cut-side down on a cutting board, and cut width-wise into 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick pieces
• The pieces should stay relatively in tact. Lay them down in a single layer on a greased roasting pan or cookie sheet.
• Roast at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned.
• Drizzle with vinegar or lemon juice and top with salt and pepper. Yum!

Slaw

Nothing says “summer” like a crunchy, fresh slaw! Here are some simple steps to prepare cabbage for any number of slaw recipes:

• Remove the outer two leaves of your cabbage, chop in half, and grate.
• Place grated cabbage into a colander and stir in a couple teaspoons of salt. Place a small plate directly on top of the cabbage and weigh it down with something heavy. Set the colander on top of a plate or in the sink. Let sit for 3-4 hours. You should see liquid seeping out from the cabbage.
• Rinse the grated cabbage and spin in a salad spinner or wring out in a towel.
• In a large mixing bowl, add some grated carrots to the grated cabbage.
• Now the creativity begins! For an Asian-style flair, add apple cider vinegar, cayenne, honey, ginger, cilantro, and sesame oil. Or go for the more creamy alternative and add mayo, vinegar, lemon juice, and sweetener.

No matter the variety, cabbage has significant health benefits. It is packed with Vitamin C, high in potassium which can help lower blood pressure, and full of soluble fiber. What’s your favorite way to eat this nutritious vegetable? Try out these recipes and let your taste buds decide!