Boiled Cabbages
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Wash the cabbages well in cold water and trim off any faded leaves.
Cut a cross in the stalk and soak the cabbages in saltwater for a few minutes to draw out insects.
Boil
Drain the cabbages and place them in a saucepan of boiling water with a tiny piece of baking soda and a little salt.
Boil uncovered until tender; a young cabbage takes about 20 minutes, while a large winter cabbage or savoy takes 30 to 45 minutes.
Drain thoroughly.
Serve
Place the cabbages on a strainer over a hot dish.
Cut into squares.
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
- Cabbages
- Form the main body of the dish, becoming tender and mild as they cook.
- Baking soda
- Raises the water's alkalinity, which helps cabbage stay bright green while it cooks.
The step that matters
Boil uncovered until tender. Cabbage cooks at different rates depending on its type and age, so tenderness must be checked rather than timed alone. Overcooking releases sulfur compounds, which give a strong smell and a soft, watery texture.
“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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