by Graham Kerr
Cabbage
Annual/Cool Season
Water: Heavy, then moderate when head is formed; use drip irrigation and avoid overhead watering, especially in hot weather
Sun: Full, shade if hot
Companion Planting:
PRO: Beets, bush beans, carrots, celery, spinach, onions
CON: Pole beans, tomatoes, strawberries
Pests: Aphids, flea beetles, birds
Diseases: Yellow, mildew
Soil: Medium light, fertile, well-drained soil; spring plants do well in sandier soil; autumn plants do well with more clay
Fertilizer: Manure before planting; fertilize with heavy nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, then high nitrogen, as they grow; fish emulsion every 3-4 weeks
pH: 6.5-7.5
Varieties: Both Savoy King and Savoy Chieftain have sweeter/milder flavors than the round-head variety. Charmant is a good early season choice.
Zones: 3-11
Planting: Seed ¼ inch deep, 10-12 weeks before first frost for autumn harvest, 8-10 inches apart
Germinate: 5-10 days
Harvest: From seed, 70-120 days; from transplant, 49-56 days
Rotation: Avoid following cabbage family for 3 years to avoid soil-borne diseases and pests.
Edible: Leafy heads
CABBAGE ROLLS
This main dish takes time the first time you attempt it. But no doubt it will become a family favorite, and the labor involved is worth the reward. While I have endeavored to keep the recipes in this book all vegetarian, this is one that I have failed to convert—even trying to use nuts and grains as a substitute. I welcome your suggestions for a non-meat recipe; feel free to contact me via my website, listed at the back of the book.
MAKES 12 ROLLS
FOR THE ROLLS
1 large head green Savoy-type cabbage
(9-10 inches in diameter)
1 teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil
2 cups finely chopped sweet onions
4 garlic cloves, bashed and chopped
6 ounces leanest ground beef (9% fat)
6 ounces ground white meat turkey
¼ cup raw long-grain white rice
2 tablespoons tomato puree
¼ cup beef broth
¼ teaspoon dried dill
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
FOR THE SAUCE
1½ cups tomato puree
1½ cups beef broth
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
½ cup cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried dill
¼ teaspoon caraway seeds
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons arrowroot mixed with 2 tablespoons water (slurry)
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9×13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Fill a large pot with water, cover, and bring to a boil.
To make the rolls, carve the core out of the cabbage and discard. Place the head in the boiling water and cook, covered, for 10 minutes. Take out of the boiling water and plunge into a bowl of cold water to cool.
Heat the oil in a chef’s pan over medium-high. Drop the onions into the pan and cook 3 minutes or until they begin to turn translucent. Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Place half the onion mixture in a large bowl. Leave the rest in the pan to make the sauce and remove from the heat. Combine the beef and turkey, rice, tomato puree, broth, dill, salt, black pepper, and parsley with the onion mixture in the bowl.
To make the sauce, pour the tomato puree, broth, brown sugar, vinegar, black pepper, dill, caraway seeds, and bay leaves into the chef’s pan with the reserved onion and garlic and bring to a simmer on medium-low while you make the rolls, about 15 minutes.
Drain the cabbage and separate 12 of the largest cabbage leaves without tearing them. Cut out the center heavy rib from each leaf, leaving a shallow V shape. Spread out on a clean work surface. Divide the filling among the leaves (a heaping tablespoon is about right). Overlap the sides where you removed the stems, fold over the sides first, and then roll to completely enclose the filling.
Set the rolls side by side in the prepared pan and pour half the sauce over all. Lay a piece of foil on top. Bake 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake 30 minutes longer until the internal temperature is 150°F.
Divide the cabbage rolls among six warm plates. Pour the remaining sauce into a saucepan with the arrowroot slurry and cook over medium-high until thickened and glossy. Spoon over the waiting rolls.
Per 2 rolls: 249 calories, 7 g fat, 2 g saturated fat (7% calories from saturated fat), 32 g carbohydrate, 12 g protein, 6 g dietary fiber, 291 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1 Lean Meat, 3 Vegetable, 1 Fat
CABBAGE SAUTÉ WITH CARAWAY
This is one of Treena’s favorites, although she’s recently gone cool on caraway, so we switched to dill and my Germany Ethmix spice mix.
SERVES 4
1 teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
1 pound (1 small) cabbage, shredded
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon caraway seeds or ½ teaspoon each of dill seeds and Germany Ethmix
(see page 287)
Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over medium-high. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes or until golden.
Stir in the cabbage, salt, black pepper, and caraway seeds. Cook, stirring, for about 12 minutes or until tender. Serve with a broiled beef steak tomato and a few boiled red potatoes.
Per serving: 64 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 12 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 168 mg sodium. Exchanges: 3 Vegetable
PLUM AND RED CABBAGE SALAD
This fruit and vegetable combination is dramatically different—and quite delicious. And yes, this dish does use my overplanted red cabbage.
SERVES 8
1 small head red cabbage, shredded to about 4 cups
8 yellow, purple, or green sweet plums, pitted and sliced
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
FOR THE DRESSING
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic or rice vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, plums, and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together and toss with the prepared fruit and vegetables.
Per serving: 49 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 1 g dietary fiber, 78 mg sodium. Exchanges: ½ Fruit, ½ Fat
Carrots
Daucus carota var.sativus
I found it odd that the familiar orange color of the carrot wasn’t its original shade; it didn’t get that color until it was introduced into Europe. Much earlier, at least 300 BCE, when it was part of a family called Umbelliferae, it was mostly purple and black. So if you’ve recently seen the deep-colored carrots among the trendy heirloom vegetables at your specialty grocer, they are actually reverting to type.
When planting from seed, add sand to seeds to help early spacing. Mulch after thinning to retain moisture and prevent greening. Thin to 2 inches apart when tops are 4 inches tall, and keep surface moist during germination.
I planted a Nantes carrot that promised a medium-size cylindrical variety rather than the narrow tapered ones. During my thinning of the crop, I tried the tiny ones and found them tasteless. Later as baby carrots, they had developed some sweetness, but it wasn’t until late August that the sweetness kept on getting better and better all the way up to Christmas (we had a warmer than usual fall), when I cleaned the beds.
Carrots have been my constant measure of success and enjoyment—they really are so much better than store bought, which seem to be largely made up of already peeled baby carrots in plastic bags (proving that convenience is king or that scraping a carrot is now c
onsidered hard labor!) or huge, woody, and split or fashion-model slender carrots, complete with greens. To my experience, these are almost always tasteless.
The Numbers
Just two carrots provide roughly four times the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of vitamin A. They also boast very good levels of vitamin K, biotin, and fiber.
For every 100 g raw (3.5 oz; ½ cup): 41 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 10 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 69 mg sodium
Carrots
Annual/Cool Season
Water: Moderate
Sun: Full
Companion Planting:
PRO: Beans, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, chives, lettuce, radishes
CON: Celery, dill, parsnips
Pests: Aphids, nematodes, caterpillars, slugs, snails, weevils
Diseases: Blights, soft rot, yellows
Soil: Deep, loose, light sandy loam free of all lumps and stones; must also hold moisture well
Fertilizer: Avoid fresh manure or high-nitrogen fertilizer; fish emulsion 3 weeks after germination and when tops are 6-8 inches tall
pH: 5.5-6.8
Varieties : Nantes (moderate-size cylinders), Chantenay (best in shallow, clay soil), Danvers Half Long (sweet, stocky)
Zones: 3-12
Planting: Seed ¼-½ inch deep in early spring or about 2 weeks after last frost, 2 inches apart
Germinate: 6 days
Harvest: Baby carrots, 30-40 days; mature carrots, 50-80 days
Rotation: Avoid following celery, dill, fennel, parsley, parsnip
Edible: Roots
CARROTS
Basic Preparation
When freshly dug, carrots don’t need to be peeled—just scrub and rinse well to eliminate the grit. Fresh carrots are perfect steamed whole or in chunks for about 14 minutes. I use a light dusting of nutmeg with a spritz of olive oil—perfection!
CARROT AND PARSNIP PUREE
This is one of our all item favorites, a splendid fall dish when the parsnips are perfect and the carrots sweetest.
SERVES 4
1 pound carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound small parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons sesame seeds
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Steam the carrots and parsnips 15 minutes or until very soft. Mash roughly and stir in the salt and black pepper.
Place in a small ungreased baking dish and scatter the sesame seeds over the top. Bake 20 minutes or until good and hot and the sesame seeds are nicely browned.
Per serving: 168 calories, 3 g fat, 1 g saturated fat (5% calories from saturated fat), 31 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 8 g dietary fiber, 221 mg sodium. Exchanges: 1½ Starch, 1 Vegetable, ½ Fat
CARROT SALAD
With its brilliant colors and a fresh real taste, this is a great side dish for a potluck or picnic.
SERVES 4
1 pound carrots, well scrubbed or peeled and coarsely grated
1 orange, peeled, seeded, and chopped
½ cup raisins
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
Freshly grated zest of 1 lime
Combine the carrots, chopped orange, raisins, mint, lime juice, and zest. Chill for an hour or two to let the flavors mingle.
Per serving: 127 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 32 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 6 g dietary fiber, 71 mg sodium. Exchanges: 2 Vegetable, 1½ Fruit
SAUTÉED SHREDDED CARROTS WITH DILL
The addition of nutmeg and dill lift this simple carrot dish to a new aromatic height.
SERVES 4
1 teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil
4 cups shredded carrots
1 teaspoon dried dill
¼ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (optional)
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over medium-high. Add the carrots and dried dill, and sauté about 6 minutes, stirring often until tender.
Stir in the salt, fresh dill, and nutmeg, and serve.
Per serving: 58 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 221 mg sodium. Exchanges: 2 Vegetable
Cauliflower
Brassica oleracea var. botrytis
Cauliflower, a somewhat tender (heat- and cold-sensitive) vegetable, made its way from Asia to Turkey around 600 BCE and hung around there for nearly 2,000 years—and still does. Northern Europe finally got a taste for it, or an ability to grow it, in the 1500s.
It is advisable to plant early to protect the vegetable from too much hot sun, or set up a screen to shield it. Try fall planting to avoid the early hot summer sun, since above 68ºF the florets lose their quality. When individual florets are 2-3 inches wide, tie the leaves over the head to shade it and to keep the head (curd) white; harvest 4-10 days later. This technique is called blanching (not to be confused with the culinary method of plunging into boiling water for a few moments).
There are a number of colored varieties of cauliflower; the usual white curds come in a broccoli green or a very odd purple; all varieties grow the same way as the white variety. I think the choice is almost purely aesthetic, because although the pure white vegetable can be a welcome relief with darker dishes, it appears bland alongside boiled potatoes, plain pasta, and poached fish. Even so, I tried the purple, and it looked gross!
In my youth, it was often prepared by steaming the whole head, bathing it with a rich cheddar cheese sauce, and placing it in a very hot oven (450ºF-500ºF) to reach a lovely dappled aromatic brown. But you can also add a lessrich dusting of smoked paprika and a spritz of olive oil and finish with 2-3 minutes in the oven just before serving.
The Numbers
It you have a thyroid condition, you may want to limit your consumption somewhat because cauliflower contains goitrogens, which can cause the thyroid to enlarge.
For every 100 g raw (3.5 oz; ½ cup): 25 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g protein, 3 g dietary fiber, 30 mg sodium
Cauliflower
Annual/Cool Season
Water: Moderate/even, drip irrigation
Sun: Avoid intense heat; plant in partial shade
Companion Planting:
PRO: Beets, carrots, celery, lettuce, spinach
CON: Strawberries, tomatoes
Pests: Cepheid, cabbage worms, fleas, beetles, cutworms
Diseases : Downy mildew, fusarium wilt
Soil: Light, humus-rich, moist, well-drained soil
Fertilizer: Heavy feeder, every 3-4 weeks, fish emulsion compost tea
pH: 6.4-7.4
Varieties: Snowball, Fremont (self-blanching in that it keeps itself white), Chartreuse (green head), purple head
Zones: 3-11
Planting: Seed ¼-½ inch deep, 15 inches apart, after last frost to early spring
Germination: 4-10 days
Harvest: From seed, 70-120 days; from transplant, 55-80 days, when heads are 4-8 inches
Rotation: Precede with hydrogen fixing plants; avoid cabbage family beds
Edible: White (or colored) curds (florets)
CAULIFLOWER
Basic Preparation
When cooking cauliflower, you need to watch the cooking time carefully: too long and it becomes a watery mush; too short and it develops a strong sulfur aroma and an odd chewy texture. It does well when used as a raw vegetable with dips.
CAULIFLOWER AND CARROTS WITH FENNEL SEEDS
I like to offset the pure white of the florets with the bright orange carrots. The fennel is just enough to spark interest with its anise flavor.
SERVES 6
2 small heads cauliflower, broken or cut into florets (yield 6 cups)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
¼ teaspoon salt
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut on the diagonal into ¼-inch sl
ices (yield 2 cups)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Place the cauliflower florets on the bottom platform of a two-tiered steamer. Sprinkle the fennel seeds and salt over the top. Place the carrots in the second platform and stack it on top.3 Place both over boiling water, cover, and steam 12 minutes until vegetables are crisp tender or 18 minutes for softer vegetables.
Combine the cauliflower and carrots and serve with a good dusting of parsley.
Per serving: 50 calories, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 11 g carbohydrate, 3 g protein, 4 g dietary fiber, 169 mg sodium. Exchanges: 3 Vegetable
CAULIFLOWER EAST INDIAN STYLE
If you enjoy a mild curry taste, I think you’ll love this golden cauliflower.
SERVES 4
1 small head cauliflower
1 teaspoon nonaromatic olive oil
½ cup chopped sweet onion
1 tablespoon grated gingerroot
1 tablespoon mild curry powder
½ cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
(see page 288)
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon stock (slurry)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Prepare the cauliflower by cutting from the bottom into small florets. Discard large pieces of stem. Rinse and allow to drain in a colander.
Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over medium-high. Sauté the onion, ginger, and curry powder for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, then add the drained cauliflower and salt. Cook, covered, about 10 minutes or until tender.
