Boiled Cabbage
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Strip off outer leaves and cut the cabbage into quarters, removing the stalk.
Soak the cabbage in salted water for 1 hour, then drain.
Cook and serve
Bring a kettle of water to a rapid boil and add the baking soda and cabbage.
Cover and boil vigorously for 1 hour, or until tender.
Press out all water, season well, and serve in a hot dish.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Cabbage
- Forms the main body of the dish; boiling softens its fibres until tender.
- Baking soda
- Raises the water's alkalinity, helping the cabbage soften and keep a bright green colour while boiling.
The step that matters
Boil vigorously with the lid on until tender. A rapid, covered boil keeps the water hot enough to break down the cabbage's tough fibres. A weak simmer leaves it firm and uneven, so keep the water at a steady rolling boil.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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