Professional cabbage like in a buffet restaurant

Gwynston

I'm fed up of over-cooked, limp cabbage after my wife's boiled it to death in the bacon water.

I recently had a Today's Roast meal at a buffet restaurant, which I don't usually go for because the food suffers from sitting around a long time, but to my surprise the cabbage it came with was quite nice! It still had a good texture and flavour, despite having been pre-prepared.

Anyone know how to cook it that way? It was shredded quite finely and was reasonably consistent in texture, so perhaps the stalks has been cut out of each leaf before chopping? It was quite green-looking, so is that a particular variety? (Didn't seem curly, like savoy)

So I'm guessing:
Trim off the centre stalks, shred finely and boil rapidly for not too long?

I'm determined to show my wife an alternative and easy way with cabbage, and hopefully even get my kids to enjoy it!

bonaparte2

Steam it

Alun

I cook savoy cabbage mainly, and what I do is to cut the stalks out of the larger leaves and shred it quite finely. I then fry up some bacon lardons, or chopped up bacon in a little oil in a wok and then stir fry the shredded cabbage in it until it starts to wilt a little. I then add just a tiny bit of stock, chicken stock usually, and bung the lid on for another couple of minutes. A good scrunch of freshly ground black pepper and bob's your uncle.

pwurple

I stir-fry it as well.

CaptainAhab

I cut out the stalks, shred it into maybe 1 inch pieces and stirfry it in butter.. I find it only takes about 3 minutes.

foodaholic

I shred mine finely and then blanch in boiling stock for 5 mins until tender
then put in ice water until i need it.
I then warm it in a warm pan with butter and bacon

Gwynston

Thanks for the replies. They all sound good, but are all stir-frying in one way or another. I'm familiar with how to do that, but was wondering how they managed it in the cafe on quite a large scale. I don't think it was stir-fired?

Neyite

Darina Allen nearly caused a riot back in the day of her cooking programme when she cooked steamed savoy cabbage for 15 mins instead of boiling until lent. Arthurs Mailbag was inundated! :pac:

Savoy Cabbage - remove outer leaves and shred finely, discarding the bigger stalk pieces, wash carefully and in a large pot with a good fitting lid, melt a knob of butter, add black pepper and a few tablespoons of water. Add in cabbage and steam until done. Usually I leave them on the same length as potatoes and its done.

I dont bother with bacon. Everywhere you go you get served cabbage with bacon bits, and its becoming boring to me. I like to taste cabbage. Its even infiltrating the cooking of sprouts now. (sprouts I parboil, then stirfry with chives and tarragon, butter and a dash of red wine vinegar)

Gwynston

Thanks Neyite - that sounds like it might do the job!

Don't get me started on sprouts - that's an even bigger bone of contention in our house! My wife insists that she loves them plain boiled for half an hour, leaving the rest of the family disliking them....

I keep threatening to parboil and stir-fry them in an interesting way (leaving them firm), but she won't let me near 'em!

Overflow

It probably wasn't a Savoy cabbage, probably a Green Cabbage like this.


Sorry for the huge pic

Steaming is a good way to cook it without it going mushy.

Baggy Trousers

Overflow wrote: »

Steaming is a good way to cook it without it going mushy.

How do people steam it? Using an actual steamer or old-style using a colander and lid over a pot of boiling water?

Kat1170

Baggy Trousers wrote: »

How do people steam it? Using an actual steamer or old-style using a colander and lid over a pot of boiling water?

Same difference

Baggy Trousers

Kat1170 wrote: »

Same difference

I thought people used actual steamer appliances or something. I am sure I have seen them advertised.

Gwynston

I have an actual steamer, so might give it a try, but I expect Neyite's solution above to be perfectly satisfactory.

In fact, I cook broccoli in a similar way - just enough water to cover the base of the saucepan, so the broccoli is steaming rather than boiling immersed in water. It's necessary to add an extra drop of water from the kettle occasionally if the pan goes dry, but you get a much better and even texture this way (don't over-cook broccoli) without needing a steamer.

Qualitymark

Cabbage cooked in the bacon water (or ham water to be purist about it - it's usually ham we're cooking in Ireland) can be very nice; just don't leave it in too long.

angeldaisy

Gwynston wrote: »

Don't get me started on sprouts - that's an even bigger bone of contention in our house! My wife insists that she loves them plain boiled for half an hour, leaving the rest of the family disliking them....

I keep threatening to parboil and stir-fry them in an interesting way (leaving them firm), but she won't let me near 'em!

Do what i used to have to do when I lived at home. They would put the veg on and boil it for a fortnight... I'd remove my portion of the veg when it was cooked to my taste. Mum never minded because it wasn't any extra work for her.

wandatowell

Nevermind the boiling malarky, fried cabbage is where its at.

Add some spuds, rashers and sausages.


Fcukin' top class.