Stewed Cabbage
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- Cabbage-type greens, shredded — 500 g (1.1 lb)
- Onion, sliced — 1
- Butter or rendered fat — 1 tbsp
- Salt — 1 pinch
Method
- Melt the butter or fat in the pan over medium-low heat.
- Add the sliced onion and cook gently for 5-6 minutes, until softened.
- Add the shredded greens and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes, until fully wilted and tender.
- Season with salt and serve hot.
Introduction: Wild or early cultivated cabbage-type greens slowly stewed until tender, a simple side reflecting the leafy brassica greens attested across Iron Age European gardens.
Cultural Background: Brassica greens, closer to loose-leafed wild and early cultivated cabbage varieties than the tight-headed cabbage familiar today, are attested archaeobotanically across Iron Age Europe, and slow stewing of leafy greens is among the simplest and most broadly applicable cooking methods available with the basic hearth equipment documented at continental Celtic sites.
Tips: – Cook the onion gently first so it softens without burning before the greens are added. – Longer, gentler cooking gives a softer, more mellow-flavoured result.
Variations: – A dairy-free version can use a little rendered fat or oil in place of butter. – A little smoked meat can be added for a heartier version, drawing on Gaul’s documented ham tradition.
Storage: Refrigerate covered for up to 2 days.
Reheating: Reheat in a pan over low heat with a small extra knob of butter or fat for 4-5 minutes, stirring.
Nutrition: Per serving (approx.): 100 kcal, 3 g protein, 9 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 3 g fibre.
FAQs:
Q: Was tight-headed cabbage available in Iron Age Gaul?
A: The modern round-headed cabbage is a later development; Iron Age Gallic brassica greens were likely closer to loose-leafed varieties, which this recipe specifies.
Q: Can this be made vegan?
A: Yes, substitute a plant oil or rendered vegetable fat for the butter for a fully vegan version.
- Cabbage-type greens, shredded — 500 g (1.1 lb)
- Onion, sliced — 1
- Butter or rendered fat — 1 tbsp
- Salt — 1 pinch
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