Cabbage is a cool weather vegetable and can survive and even thrive at temperature below 30 degrees F. In fact, most Southerners say it’s best to wait to harvest cabbage until after the first frost in fall. That makes cabbage one of the few vegetables that carry into the colder season.
Cabbage is Good for You
Cabbage is good for those needing fiber in their diets, and it also is high in Vitamin C. The levels of Vitamin E are also fairly high as well.
How to Cut Cabbage Gassiness
Some people have digestive difficulties with cabbage. It can cause uncomfortable gas. To avoid or reduce the problem, simply boil cabbage for around 5 minutes. Then, pour off the water, add fresh water and continue cooking until tender.
Cabbage Dishes
Cabbage can be eaten raw as in slaw or cooked. While some families simply boil cabbage and serve it as a plain side dish, others use it as a base for fancier dishes and casseroles. One favorite recipe in the South is a cabbage casserole with a rich bread and cheese topping.
Southern Cabbage Casserole Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 small to medium head of cabbage
- 3 TBS butter (or margarine)
- ¼ cup flour (plain flour – not self rising)
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ½ cup whole milk
- ½ tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/8 tsp red pepper
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 2 TBS butter (for the topping this time)
- bread crumbs
- grated Parmesan cheese
- shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Directions:
- Cut the cabbage up in chunks. Wash. Place cabbage in water – enough to cover cabbage. Boil until tender – around 7 minutes. Drain well. Set aside in large mixing bowl.
- In a saucepan, melt butter (2 TBS). Blend in flour with a whisk or use a fork and blend well. Add cream and milk slowly and stir constantly while making the sauce. Continue to heat and stir until the mixture thickens.
- Once the sauce is thick, add the salt, peppers and nutmeg. Stir and remove from heat.
- Pour the sauce over the cabbage reserved in the large mixing bowl. Stir to coat cabbage.
- Butter a baking dish or spray with Pam. Then pour cabbage mixture in the dish.
- Mix together bread crumbs and cheeses. Amounts can vary depending on how much crunch and cheese you want. If you need a ballpark amount, then 1 cup of bread crumbs and ½ cup each of the cheese shredded will work. Some people like more bread though and others more cheese. Sprinkle this on top of the cabbage mixture.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes. The cheese should be melted and the bread crumbs lightly browned.
Other Favorite Southern Side Dishes:
Easy Southern Collard Greens - It does not get much more Southern than collard greens. If you make them on New Years Day, you are supposed to have more money in the coming year.
Apple Cabbage Salad - This is a no cook cabbage recipe. The contrast with the apples makes for a nice flavor combination.
Grandma's Broccoli Salad - This no cook side dish can be made ahead and is great for pot luck dinners and holidays.
Wilted Lettuce Salad - Lettuce tossed in bacon grease is an easy and favorite Southern dish with loads of flavor.
Southern Four Bean Salad - Packed with protein, this is a very pretty main or side dish.
Cyndi Allison - Southern born and fed, Cyndi Allison is a college lecturer and newspaper advisor as well as being a freelance writer. She writes on ...
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