Cabbage- Green, Purple, Napa

Green Cabbage

Purple Cabbage

Napa Cabbage or Chinese Cabbage

In Season
June-December

Storage Tips
Cabbage will store in your fridge for several weeks. If the outer leaves start to wilt or discolor, you can usually peel back a few layers to a fresh interior. 

Though you might be tempted to clean it up right away, don’t! The outer leaves help keep the inner leaves fresh, so leave them on until you’re ready to use the cabbage.  Once cut, store cabbage in a plastic bag.

For longer storage, trim off outer leaves and cut out central stem (like you would with a tomato) and chop or shred into whatever size you like - so long as the pieces are uniform.  Blanch in boiling water for 1.5 minutes; cool immediately and drain.  Pack in containers, leaving 1/2 in. headroom, and freeze.

Culinary Tips
When preparing green and purple cabbage, start by quartering the head and cutting out the core.

While cabbage is best known for its starring role in cole slaw (see some of the links below for creative slaws), it’s actually a very versatile crop.  All varieties can be eaten raw or cooked.  

With its more delicate leaf, Napa works especially well in a fresh, summer salad.  Try finely slicing or grating Green or Purple varieties to add a little crunch to any raw dish.  

When cooked, the Green and Purple varieties hold their shape more than Napa (which, like other greens tends to wilt a little more when heated),  which makes them a great addition to any stir fry or sauté.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Napa Cabbage Slaw
Diane Anderson’s Cabbage with Sausage
Hearty Chicken Soup 
Cabbage Caraway Chips
Green Onion and Cabbage Slaw
Cabbage and Mushroom Gallette
Asian Style Spicy Coleslaw
Crunchy Coleslaw with Cayenne and Caraway Seeds
Traditional Napa Cabbage KimChi
Quick Kim Chi
Napa Cabbage Salad with Buttermilk Dressing
Beef and Napa Cabbage Stir Fry
Tacos with Winter Vegetables and Purple Cabbage Slaw