No, it’s true. At least that’s what the old Scottish tradition insists. And all the old Scots people I knew when I was a child, daughter of a Scottish mother, insisted on serving Cabbage in some form on New Year’s Day. But there’s much more to it than that…
Classic Polish Cabbage Rolls: Ground Beef, Rice and Spices.
And you can’t stop eating ’em!
In fact, many other cultures hold to the same tradition. And still others have their own different food traditions observed on New Years, to ensure both prosperity and good luck through the coming year. For example, in the Deep South many make sure to serve Black-Eyed Peas on New Years. But Cabbage is King.
Tradition goes way back, like the Vegetable…
According to food history authorities, Cabbage was used medicinally in ancient Greece, and the Roman legions included Cabbage as a regular component of their Conqueror’s Diet. It’s grown in dozens of varieties around the world. And there are dozens of ways to enjoy it.
Cabbage is good for you…
Cabbage is a remarkable Vegetable. One serving provides 60 percent of your daily recommended vitamin C allotment and zero percent of your daily Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium allowance. It’s also a good source of Dietary Fibre, Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin B6. Why, you may be asking, do we all not eat it every day? I have no viable answer. Except, perhaps, that the price of a head of Cabbage has increased 10-fold since I first set up housekeeping a little over 40 years ago. It’s no ‘$8 Cauliflower’, but it’s still expensive, not unlike other fresh Veggies and Fruits which many among the masses can’t afford, or can’t justify affording these days. But that’s another story for another day.
My favourite Cabbage recipes…
I’ve always loved Fried Cabbage for it’s simplicity and wonderful earthy flavour. And the fact that it really needs to be made with lots and lots of Butter and Black Pepper. It leads my list of Cabbage dishes.
But close behind come two implementations from Eastern Europe. Who hasn’t, at one time or another, tried Stuffed Cabbage Rolls (Polish) or Sautéed Cabbage and Sausage (German). These popular dishes exemplify the reason that Cabbage goes so well with savoury and spicy Meats.
Good old fashioned Boiled Cabbage may be the most common form of the Vegetable when it reaches the table. It’s generally served over Rice and accompanied by – drum roll, please – Corned Beef, yet another savoury Meat.
Cabbage, like other Green Veggies, loses a significant portion of its goodness when cooked, especially when boiled. So we should all consider consuming Cabbage cold. My go-to Cold Cabbage Dish is – no surprise – Cole Slaw. I like to dress it up with grated Apple and Carrot. Sometimes, I splurge on a Fennel Root and make a Mixed Cabbage Salad with a Vinaigrette Dressing. For Special events, I make a Rainbow/Confetti Slaw with Green and Red Cabbage along with Carrot and Apple. Don’t use a Creamy Dressing for this one; the dish will devolve into a single shade of pink pretty quickly and destroy the whole ‘Rainbow’ effect. Basic Slaw takes just a few minutes to prepare, even less when you have food processor to do the grating, and goes with darned near everything you might be featuring as an entrée.
So go out now and get your New Year’s Cabbage. And make a resolution to put Cabbage on the menu more often this year!
~ Maggie J.