About This Food
Red cabbage, also known as purple cabbage, is a type of cabbage with purpleish red leaves used for salads,coleslaw and sweet and sour cabbage. It can also be used as a ph indicator for scientific purposes.
Cabbage is naturally fat-free and cholesterol-free. It is rich in vitamin C, plus offers carbohydrates, calcium, iron, protein, thiamin, riboflavin, potassium and dietary fiber. One cup shredded cabbage contains about 25 calories. Cabbage has been shown to have disease-preventive properties.
Information
Other names: cabbage, kraut
Translations: Sarkanie galviņkāposti, Raudonasis kopūstas, Varza roşie, Crveni kupus, Cải Bắp Đỏ, Czerwona kapusta, Rode kool, लाल गोभी, Краснокочанной капусты, Κόκκινο λάχανο, ملفوف أحمر, 빨간 양배추, Červené zelí, Kol Merah, Red repolyo, 红甘蓝, Llombarda, Rdeče zelje, Červené kapusta, Cavolo rosso, כרוב אדום, Rödkål, Црвеног купуса, 赤キャベツ, Chou rouge, Rotkohl, Rødkål, Rødkål, Lombarda, Червонокачанної капусти, Punakaali, Червено зеле
Physical Description
The red cabbage is a ball of closely formed red leaves. It is dense and round in appearance and is a firm but smooth vegetable.
Colors: deep red or purple, turns an unappetizing blue when cooked
Tasting Notes
Flavors: Mildly sweet and spicy
Mouthfeel: Crunchy, Crisp, Aqueous, Refreshing
Food complements: Vinegar, Carrots, Bacon
Wine complements: Gewürztraminer, Riesling, Red wine
Beverage complements: Beer, Hard cider, Milk
Substitutes: Green cabbage, Savory cabbage, Napa cabbage, Bok choy
Selecting and Buying
Choosing: Choose heavy, firm brightly colored orb.
Buying: Red cabbage is available year round in almost every grocery store.
Procuring: Red cabbage should be harvested in well-fertilized soil in the late winter or early spring. The cabbage is often planted nearly a month prior to the last frost of the year.
Preparation and Use
Peel of the outer layer of leaves and simply slice as your recipe directs. You may want it shredded or just quartered.
Cleaning: Peel off outer layer of leaves and rinse thoroughly. Slice in half and remove tough core.
Conserving and Storing
Red/purple cabbage keeps for weeks in the produce drawer of your refrigerator and makes for a nice vegetable or salad side dish when all the other produce has turned south.