What do you see here?
Perhaps you see another classic chicken and rice dinner crowned with delicious broccoli. Did you notice how it is all coated in a luscious bath of coconut milk, plum sauce and green curry? It was good. Ok, you probably didn't notice the cabbage. It's there. Don't worry. People often overlook the cabbage. Cabbage is sometimes misunderstood or falsely maligned, but most often cabbage is simply neglected.
Take this meal for example. Meridy was planning it out, and I said, "Cabbage." "You want me to put cabbage in it?" "Yah." "Ok." Ten minutes later Meridy says, "I'm just putting broccoli in it, peas, soybeans?" "Cabbage." "Oh, right." Then, as the meal is almost done cooking, Meridy says to me, all I ended up putting in there is broccoli, is that good?" "Cabbage." "Oh, right. I forgot about that. Sorry Nate, I'll hurry and put some in right now." The cabbage was a wonderful addition to the meal, adding rich texture and savory flavor. If I hadn't stood up for inclusion, integration and cabbage rights, we would have been deprived of all that.
I imagine that part of the problem is the unfortunate fact that cabbage has an unsavory doppelganger. Yes, cabbage looks too much like lettuce. Only in recent years have I stopped stereotypically attributing lettuce's "qualities" to cabbage. Getting past my bias and prejudice has led me to new culinary heights. Yesterday, I took some vinegary potatoes, added cabbage, salt, pepper, butter and mozzarella and fried it all up. That was good. I encourage everyone to try cabbage in soups. There, in its natural habitat, it's powers are truly awesome.
You know what else makes cabbage great? It lasts forever. Buy a head of it, and it will still be fresh and delicious after numerous months in the refrigerator. You might want to peel off the outer layer, but the inner layers will be pristine, unlike in an onion, where the middle gets rotten before the outside as the green onion rises in new life by digesting the center of the onion bulb--but that is another post, for another day; I think I'll call it, "The Parable of the Onion and the Mystery of Life through Death."
Mostly, I just wanted to say that I like cabbage. Plus, we haven't been posting much this month, so I figured I should write SOMETHING. Leave me your opinions in the comment section, do you think cabbage deserves more credit, or could you do without it?
4 comments:
I like cabbage. I am of the opinion that it does not receive all the credit it deserves. I must admit, I haven't always appreciated cabbage. Anyway, I like it now. :) I especially like it in ramen salad.
Fascinating. I've never done much with cabbage to tell you the truth. It's never come up in any recipes I've tried. I remember my mom making cabbage soup or something like it occasionally when I lived at home. I need cabbage recipes. The word "cabbage" always makes me think of cabbage patch babies.
Nate, I think it's about time someone stood up for the cabbages, and I think it's about time we gave the cabbages back to the people. I agree that they are a veritable feast of flavor, texture, nutrition, exhilaration, and matter. I like to eat them whenever I get the chance. Long live the cabbage.
This is all very interesting. I like cabbage. It does have its glory day in March. I think that the smell drives people away. I like it steamed, served in wedges with butter and salt. I also like it on the steak quesadillas and tacos at Irmita's and Chucci's. Nice to hear from Danny, still as
bombastic as ever. Of course Nate will bring that out in people verbose as he is, but he does make you think, even if it is about cabbage.
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