Cabbage, Boiled
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Remove all dead outer leaves from the cabbage and cut off as much of the stalk as possible.
Cut the cabbage across twice at the stalk end; if very large, quarter it.
Wash the cabbage well in cold water and drain in a colander.
Boil
Bring plenty of water to a fast boil and add salt and baking soda.
Add the cabbage to the boiling water and stir once or twice.
Keep the pan uncovered and boil until tender: 15-20 minutes for small cabbages, 30-40 minutes for large ones.
Drain and serve
Once done, transfer the cabbage to a colander, cover with a plate, and let it drain thoroughly.
Cut the cabbage into squares and serve.
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
- Is the vegetable that becomes tender and sweet as it cooks in boiling water.
- Baking soda
- Raises the water's alkalinity, which helps the cabbage stay bright green while it cooks.
The step that matters
Keep the pan uncovered while boiling. Cabbage releases sulfur compounds that cause a strong smell when cooked. Boiling uncovered lets these volatile compounds escape, keeping the flavour milder and the colour greener.
“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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