Cabbage is September’s gift.  And I have a lot to share.  I felt like last year I had an awful lot of cabbage, so I planted a quarter the amount and I am still baffled by the number of cabbages in the field.  I am going to store quite a bit for our winter CSA, but I am also going to share a great deal of it with our CSA families before we finish up in October.  I want you to keep in mind that cabbage can be stored in a cool dark place… or your refrigerator, and  it will last for months and months.  

I once ran a first true decent of the Blue Nile in Ethiopia.  We spent 40 days running 1000 miles of the biggest rapids and widest flatwater I know of.  And we carried with us:  cabbage.  Every day we put it in our dinner… slivers of ruffage, little medicinal gems.  No cooler, just a watertight barrel under incredible heat.  We just cut the black or funky edge off and inside was crisp, juicy cabbage.

Did you know that cabbage is an anti-inflammatory?  If you are having trouble getting it eaten, then just tear off a few leaves and lash them with a bandana to a knee or ankle or any troubled body part you might have.  Lay off the ibuprofen and lean on the cabbage.

Seriously though, cabbage is the new lettuce.  As the season winds down and the lettuce heads are slow to grow and the lettuce mix is slow to regenerate… why not use cabbage.  What about thai salads, shredded cabbage in tacos, cabbage in scrambled eggs, cabbage in green drinks, cabbage in casseroles, cabbage in soups, cabbage layered in scalloped potatoes, cabbage cabbage cabbage!!!

Ingredients for Thornehedge Peace Slaw

  • 1 cup pecan pieces
  • 1 head savoy cabbage, sliced
  • 8 fresh peaches, pitted and sliced…Be sure to grab peaches from the Kimberlee Farms stand at the Farmer’s Market.  They are the very very best!
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced
  • 1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
  • 1/2 cup chopped pearl onions
  • 2 tablespoons chopped lovage
  • 1/2 cup fresh peaches, pitted and chopped
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 bunch fresh mint sprigs

Directions

  1. Place the pecan pieces in a skillet over medium heat, and cook, stirring constantly, until lightly toasted.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the pecans, cabbage, 8 fresh peaches, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, green onions, and celery seed. Cover and chill 45 minutes in the refrigerator.
  3. In a blender or food processor, blend the 1/2 cup chopped peaches until smooth. Transfer to a bowl, and mix with the oil, honey, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Chill until slaw is ready to be served, then toss with slaw to coat. Garnish slaw with mint sprigs.

I’d like to give a great big thanks to this year’s volunteer of the year.  This is some sort of Bok Choi that I found in the broccoli patch… just lingering from last year… big and juicy and most magnificent!