Everyone is looking for shortcuts in the kitchen and it can be tempting to skip washing some vegetables when you're removing outer leaves and not using them or because you've heard that water will compromise their flavor and texture.Rinse a small handful of herbs under cool, running water; shake them dry and then pat with a paper towel or give them a turn in a salad spinner.But if you're making an iceberg wedge salad and don't want to separate the leaves you still need to wash the lettuce: give the head a good rinse under cool running water and gently pat it dry.There's no need to tediously brush away all the debris; instead, the fast, easy and effective method is to plunge them into water, turn them with your hands and then remove them to a clean, cotton towel to pat dry. .
How to Wash Cabbage for Cole Slaw
Crisp cabbage makes for a tasty slaw, but not if it's got an added crunch due to dirt from the garden.Choose a cabbage that has a compact head and feels heavy.If you discover evidence of worms once you get the cabbage home, which may happen if you've harvest the cabbage from your garden or gotten it fresh from a farmers market, soak the entire head in salted water or water with several tablespoons of vinegar added for about 15 minutes.Remove the outer one or two layers of leaves of the cabbage by peeling them back and snapping them off at the core.Cut the head into quarters, remove the core and slice for the slaw by stacking the rinsed leaves, rolling them into a tight tube and making closely spaced cuts with a kitchen knife. .
How to Cut Cabbage, Step by Step
Simply follow along with this short guide and you'll be on your way to devouring the healthiest, most delicious vegetable around the clock.Run your head of cabbage under the kitchen tap, removing any dirt or grit by lightly scrubbing with your fingers or a cleaning brush.Remove the outer leaves of the head of cabbage, simply by pulling them off with your hands.Slice the cabbage in half from top to bottom, straight through the core—you'll want to use the largest chef's knife you own.The core is tougher than the cabbage, so you'll be able to feel where it ends and make your cut accordingly.Continue on to the next step if making coleslaw, sauerkraut, soup, or another shredded-cabbage dish is in your plans.Keeping your wedge of cabbage cut-side down, slice it along the horizontal edge into thin strips.You could make sauerkraut and enjoy your cabbage all through the fall on tons of sausages and sandwiches. .
Cabbage: Using & Storing – Vermont Organic Farm
In many regions of the world, cabbage is featured in a number of delicious, healthy and hearty dishes.You can boil cabbage for five minutes with a chopped onion and add to mashed potatoes.Cabbage leaves can be stuffed with any number of yummy ingredients and then baked to perfection.Large cabbage leaves can replace a tortilla for light and summery wrap sandwiches.In the depths of winter, when snow covers our gardens, it is a great thing to look to the cabbage in our fridges to provide some local, fresh green taste!You can put the cabbage in a plastic bag to help retain moisture but it isn’t totally necessary.If you use only a partial head, make sure to tightly wrap the remainder and put into the fridge.Any kind of cell damage makes the cabbage go by more quickly and degrades the vitamin C content.Source: “From Asparagus to Zucchini” by Madison Area Community Supported Agriculture Coalition, CCF staff. .
Lettuce, Other Leafy Greens, and Food Safety
CDC estimates that germs on produce eaten raw cause a large percentage of U.S. foodborne illnesses.Other harmful germs found on leafy greens include norovirus, Salmonella, Listeria, and Cyclospora.People who have health problems or take medicines that lower the body’s ability to fight germs and sickness (a weakened immune system) external icon.To reduce your chance of getting sick, always follow the steps for safely handling and preparing leafy greens before eating or serving them.Always follow the steps for safely handling and preparing leafy greens before feeding them to pets and other animals.Studies show that this step removes some of the germs and dirt on leafy greens and other vegetables and fruits.What other food safety steps should I keep in mind when I select, store, and prepare leafy greens and other produce?Make sure pre-cut produce, such as bagged salad or cut fruits and vegetables, is refrigerated or on ice at the store.Separate produce from raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs in your shopping cart, grocery bags, and refrigerator.Store leafy greens, salads, and all pre-cut and packaged produce in a clean refrigerator with the temperature set to 40°F or colder.Use separate cutting boards and utensils for produce and for raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs.Wash utensils, cutting boards, and kitchen surfaces with hot, soapy water after each use.Cook thoroughly or throw away any produce that touches raw meat, poultry, seafood or their juices.Germs that make people sick can be found in many places, including in the soil, in the feces or poop of animals, in refrigerators, and on kitchen surfaces.For example, germs from animal poop can get in irrigation water or fields where theexternal icon vegetables grow.Germs can also get on leafy greens in packing and processing facilities, in trucks used for shipping, from the unwashed hands of food handlers, and in the kitchen.To prevent contamination, leafy greens should be grown and handled safely at all points from farm to fork.Read a study by CDC and partners on what we have learned from 10 years of investigating E. coli outbreaks linked to leafy greens.In 2014–2018, a total of 51 foodborne disease outbreaks linked to leafy greens (mainly lettuce) were reported to CDC.Most recently, in 2019–2021, CDC investigated and warned the public about nine multistate outbreaks linked to leafy greens.All kinds of produce, including organic leafy greens, can be contaminated with harmful germs at any point from farm to fork.Leafy greens grown using these methods also can be contaminated with harmful germs at any point from farm to fork.CDC is collaborating with FDA, academia, and industry to investigate the factors that contribute to leafy greens contamination.The leafy greens industry, FDA, and state regulatory authorities have been implementing provisions of the Produce Safety Ruleexternal icon as part of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA).external icon They are considering what further measures can be taken.
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How to Cut Cabbage
This crunchy cruciferous vegetable can be cut into wedges or shreds for fermented foods, salads, stir-fries, sauteed, boiled and braises.When cut and cooked, it delivers a characteristic pungent taste, slight bitterness, and hint of sweetness.Historically cabbage only gets culinary appreciation when St. Patrick’s Day rolls around or you need summer sidedish.Cabbage can also be sauteed, used in a stir fry, braised, added to soups and eaten raw for salads for a nutritional boost.Flip the cabbage quarters over and carefully remove the thick core, which is tough to eat.If you are shredding with a mandolin or using the large pieces for soups and stews, leave a small amount of the core intact so that it stays together.For long cabbage-like napa, make smaller shreds by cutting through the width into desired sizes.Use swiping movements to quickly shred the cabbage, but be careful not to cut your fingers as they get closer to the end of the wedge.Pin Print Save to Favorites Review 4.5 from 24 votes Ingredients ▢ 1 head cabbage , green or red, savoy, or napa cabbage Instructions Remove any tough outer leaves, especially if bruised, damaged, or eaten by insects.If shredding with a mandoline or using the large pieces for soups and stews, leave a small amount of the core intact so that it stays together.For shorter shreds, turn the long side facing towards you and cut through the width of the vegetable.For long cabbage-like napa, make smaller shreds by cutting through the width into desired sizes.Use swiping movements to quickly shred the cabbage, but be careful not to cut your fingers as they get closer to the end of the wedge. .
Using Cabbage Leaves for Weaning, Mastitis, Engorgement, More
Share on Pinterest For every person who tells you that breastfeeding is a convenient, affordable, and beautiful way of feeding your baby, there’s someone who has breastfeeding troubles to tell: cracked and bleeding nipples, painful bouts of mastitis, and engorged breasts so hard and swollen it feels like you strapped two boulders into the cups of your nursing bra.While it sounds weird, it seems to have some basis in science: Because of certain plant compounds found in cabbage, the leaves may have an anti-inflammatory effect on breast tissue when applied directly to your skin.Here’s a guide to all the ways you can use cabbage leaves to troubleshoot your breastfeeding issues, including mastitis, engorgement, and weaning.A 2015 study suggests that applying chilled cabbage leaves to swollen breasts provides a similar amount of pain relief as a hot compress.You may want to remove or soften the hard vein of each leaf, or cut the leaves into large pieces, for comfort and flexibility.If you aren’t weaning, you can use this treatment for 20 minutes three times per day, but not more often — overuse of cabbage leaves can lead to a decrease in milk supply (more on that later!).A 2012 review of studies supports the idea that cabbage leaves are a reliable way to find the relief you need.The review found that using cabbage leaves reduced the pain and hardness of engorged breasts and made it easier for people to continue breastfeeding for longer.If so, don’t repeat the process — remember that continuing to use cabbage leaves after the engorgement has resolved may cause a decrease in milk supply.In fact, a 2017 study argues the opposite: Researchers explain that gas and fiber in the mother’s bowel do not pass into breast milk, so there’s no way your bowl of cabbage soup is going to make your baby gassy.Despite the fact that it looks kind of unimpressive, cabbage is actually loaded with nutrients that breastfeeding moms need to stay healthy, like vitamins K and C and folate. .
Do You Wash Cabbage Before Making Sauerkraut?
A question that I get asked a lot from site visitors and friends is do you wash cabbage before making sauerkraut??It’s a perfectly sensible question but if I give a blanket yes or no answer right here, any nuance will be lost and you may go off and do the wrong thing, and later exclaim that Homesteading Steve said so :-).Doesn’t matter if you are making sauerkraut with red cabbage or white, the principles of good housekeeping are the same.If you are using a more open leaf cabbage, then cutting off the stem, separating the leaves, and rinsing them is an acceptable compromise.What I have heard of some people doing, with negative effects is shredding their cabbage, then soaking it in one of these chemical vegetable wash solutions.Additionally, the anaerobic process and the brine actually prevent unwanted, and potentially dangerous bacteria from growing.So, although fermenting cabbage may have a bit of a smell, the process is actually incredible for NOT letting bad bacteria live and thrive.Best of luck with learning how to make sauerkraut, or if you are not a novice, in finding some great ideas and recipes to improve your skills. .
Classic Sauerkraut
1 head green cabbage, weighing about 1-1/2 lbs (680 g), cored and finely shredded.Sprinkle salt over the cabbage and massage by squeezing handfuls between your palms and fingers with a medium firm pressure.Use a wooden spoon, pestle, or the end of a rolling pin to temper down the cabbage.Be sure to leave at lease 2 inches (5 cm) of clearance from the top of the cabbage and the opening of the jar.Replace Kraut Source with the standard mason jar lid and ring. .
