The humble cabbage is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which also includes cauliflower, brussels sprouts, broccoli and some Asian greens. Cabbages are in season in autumn and winter but are available to buy throughout the year. There are several varieties of cabbage available in Australia and New Zealand.

HISTORY

Cabbage has been a popular food since ancient Egyptian times, but at that time it was a wild, slender plant, with few leaves and no ‘head’, and was grown in the Mediterranean and in coastal areas of Europe. At about the same time, this wild variety was also cultivated by the Greeks, and a story from Greek mythology says that cabbages first sprang from the perspiration of Zeus.

Both Greeks and Romans believed that eating cabbage would help protect against intoxication. The first cabbages with heads began to be cultivated in northern Europe during the 1st century BCE.

They became popular throughout Europe during the middle ages. Cabbage was introduced to Australia and New Zealand during the early years of settlement, with Chinese varieties being introduced in the subsequent years.

GROWING

Cabbages grow best in cooler climates, and are more often than not planted as seedlings between late spring and autumn. When planted they should be spaced between 40 and 60cm apart, depending on the variety, to give them space to grow. They can be grown anywhere there is rich, well-drained soil, which should be firmly packed to support the growing vegetables. Cabbages take about two months to mature.

HARVESTING

Cabbages should be harvested as required. To harvest, cut the cabbage off at ground level, leaving behind the stalk and outer leaves. Cabbage can sometimes yield two crops. In order to increase the odds of this happening, cut a cross on the remaining stalk after harvesting.

VARIETIES

There are many types of cabbage, which differ according to size, shape and texture of leaf. The four varieties most readily available in Australia and New Zealand are green, red, savoy and wombok. Green cabbage is round with smooth, tightly packed leaves.

Red cabbage also has smooth leaves, which are even more tightly packed than the green variety. Red cabbage also has a distinctive peppery flavour. The most popular variety of cabbage for cooking is the savoy, which varies in shape, and has a loose head and wrinkled leaves. The wombok, also known as Chinese cabbage, is elongated in shape and has pale crinkly leaves with white veins.

BUYING, STORING AND PREPARATION

Choose cabbages with crisp, bright leaves that are firm and heavy for their size. Avoid those with holes or discolouration. Whole cabbages can be stored in a cool place for one to two weeks. Cut cabbage can be stored in the crisper section of the fridge, covered in plastic film, for up to two days.

To prepare loose-leaf varieties, remove and discard any damaged outer leaves, separate the leaves from the core and remove any tough stalks from the leaves. For tightly packed cabbages, remove and discard the outer leaves, cut into quarters and remove the core. Use as desired. Always remember to keep cooking time to a minimum, otherwise a pungent smell will develop and it also lowers its vitamin content considerably.