New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-08
CABBAGE.
HOW TO COOK IT DArNTILY.


Most people consider cabbage coarse rank
vegetable that It would be absurdity to serve
in n delicate sauce. Besides Its unpleasant odor.
the cabbage has acquired an unsavory reputation
from the fact that ordinarily cooked, 1t Is most
lndigestble The beef and cabbage dinner OF the
New England farmer as It Is generally cooked IL as
unwholesome and IL extravagant a waste OF
food values az can be instanced The rich juices
OF the beef II the meat has been corned. as IL gem
orally has have been first drawn out In the salt
and water and these are still further diminished by
boiling in fresh water This literally leaves only the
dbres OF the meat TO be served and the greater
part OF its nourishng qualities are thus thrown
away with the brine and pot liquor. The cabbage
has been cooked in its rank juices, which should
have been extracted making 1t coarse and ndigesti-
bic: whereas Il would have been paatable as well
as wholesome vegetable II II had been properly
cooked This represents the perverslon OF cookery.
The first effort Of the intelligent cook Il to retain
the Juices OF meat, while she blanches great many
vegetables In order to free them from these coarse
Juices and leave a delicate digestble pulp.
These principles once understood. the main secret
OF the successful cooking OF meats and OF vegetables
is mastered Some vegetables. like green
peas are 80 delicate In flavor that they do not re-
qulre blanching. but would be injured by II; but
others like spinach, string beans and notably all
the cabbage family. must be blanched
There are few vegetables more delicious than n
sized fresh head OF white cabbage and cut It In
quarters. after removing the outer green leaves.
Cut out the stem from the head and throw the
cabbage into n kettle OF boiling water Let II cook
FOR ten minutes. then remove II With skinner
and put II into cold water 20 cool After this the
unpleasant odor so noticeable in cooking cabbage
disappears. When the cabbage Is cold. chop II
fine season II with salt and pepper, and add two
large tablespoonfus OF butter, mixed with an even
tablespoonful OF -four and pint OF milk. Let the
cabbage simmer slowly for three-quarters OF an
hour and then serve. Such a dish Of cabbage
served with piece of fresh beef. praised with
ner an epicure might enjoy The meat has had all
its juices carefully saved by browning 1t in a
small portion OF stock-a process quite similar to
roasting By this method all the liquor in which
the meat is cooked is saved for the gravy. The
farmers pot roast IS similar to the French braise
and is process In every way superior 10 the ex-
travagant method OF boiling when the best
parts OF the beef are soaked out In the water.
Another dainty and excellent way In which 10
cook a cabbage is to stun IT, Cut out the heart
stem. with the root, OF medium-sZed head or
cabbage. and remove the outer green leaves. Plunge
the head into abundance OF boiling water for
ten minutes and then take II up very carefully so
as not to break IT, Let 1t cool Prepare force
meat using pound Of sausage meat with quar-
ter IF pound OF lean veal ground and pounded to
a paste. Some cooks the sausage meat alone
only fresh country sausage meat can be used
Stuff the inside OF the cabbage and tie IL up care
fully. so that the stufing will not come out. Put
the cabbage into "a brasing kettle, with a small
carrot, a small white onion and a cup OF stock
Let the cabbage simmer In the top OF
the stove wei covered for hour, bastng II
occasionally. Serve ii with rich brown sauce.