Cabbages
Magnolias
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General & History
Cabbages, Mustards and Turnips (to the botanist they're all "Mustards")
are native to Europe and Asia. Because they were so important to diet and
survival they have been bred for desirable features since prehistoric
times. While some were bred for roots and others for flower heads, leaves
were not neglected either. All thes plants are naturally loose leafed, but
"heading" cabbages had already been developed in Medeterranian Europe during
Roman times.
Varieties
All the cabbages, mustards and turnips important as edible greens
belong to the genus Brassica of family Brassicaceae. Despite
their diversty of appearance they belong to just a few species, though each
species may have many very different agriculturally developed cultivars.
- B. oleracea - Cabbages, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, Brussels Sprouts.
- B. rapa - Turnips, Chinese cabbages. Rapini, Mustard Greens
- B. juncea - Mustard Greens.
- B. napus - Rape (Canola), Rutabaga.
Brussels Sprouts - [B. oleracea
Group Gemmifera]
This cabbage grows a large fiberous central stem with large collard-like
leaves radiating from it, but when those leaves become old they are
replaced not by new leaves but with small cabbage heads radiating out
from the original stem. Cabbages of this type may have been known in Roman
times, but they first became a major crop in Belgium around 1590. These
cabbages have long been "most hated vegetable" in England, but even there
they are becoming more popular as the English learn to cook. Brussels
sprouts must be cooked until just tender, never more.
Broccoli Rabe - see Rapini.
Head Cabbages - Capitata Group
- [Brassica oleracea Group capitata]
The major cultivars of heading cabage are f. alba (white) and
f. rubra (red) but with each there are numerous varieties of each.
Catagorizaton is not always clear - for instance, there's a continuum of
varieties from white cabbage to savoy cabbage.
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Flathead Cabbage - [Taiwian Cabbage,
Group capitata f. alba]
Marketed as "Taiwan Cabbage" in a Los Angeles Asian market, this is
not an Asian cabage at all but a regular White Cabbage of the
flathead persuasion. In the U.S. white cabbages are described by
season (early, mid, late) and by shape (flat, round, etc.). This cabbage
can be used in the same manner as any other white cabbage. The photo
specimen was 7-1/2 inches in diameter, 4 inches high and weighed 2 pounds.
Napa Cabbage - This is actually a turnip green - see
Napa Cabbage under Asian Greens.
Red Cabbage - [Red Kraut, Blue Kraut,
Group capitata var. f. rubra]
Red cabbages are very similar to the white except for the red coloration
from Anthocyanin pigments. Color may vary from red to blue depending on
acidity of the soil the cabbage grew in. This red pigment is a
powerful antioxidant, the same one found in red wine. Red cabbage has
been popular in Northern Europe because it keeps better than white
cabbage so doesn't need to be made into sauerkraut to get through the
winter. Some writers say red cabbage tastes exactly like white but that
isn't quite true.
Details & Cooking.
Savoy Cabbage - [Group capitata]
This cabbage is similar to White Cabbage but the leaves are all crinkly
so the head is lighter in weight and pointy at the top. The leaves are
very large and unwrap easily from the head.Taste is similar to White
Cabbage except not quite as sweet, so you would probably only want to
use this relatively expensive cabbage for recipes that have a real reason
for its unique characteristics. The photo sample was 6 inches diameter
and weighed 1-1/4 pounds.
White Cabbage - [Group capitata
f. alba]
This is the standard Euro/American cabbage and the one European sauerkraut
is made from (Asian sauerkraut is made from an entirely different cabbage.
Many cultivars are grown but they all look exactly the same in the store.
All the big loose outer leaves are remoaved at the farm and the last
semi-loose ones are removed at the store leaving just a pale green ball
of immature leaves. The photo specimen was a typical market size at 6 inches
diameter and 2 pounds, but heads grown for sauerkraut can weigh up to
60 pounds.
Details & Cooking.
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Loose Leaf Greens
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Arugula [Arugula (us) Rocket (uk),
Roquette (fr), Rucola (it), Rughetta (it), B. Eruca sativa (garden)
B. Eruca vesicaria (wild)]
This popular salad green of Mediterranian origin has been used since
at least Roman times. Almost unknown in the U.S. a decade ago it is today
the "must have" green for yuppie salads so supermarkets stock precut and
washed bags of "baby" arugula. The leaves are small and tender
but have a distinctly mustardy bite, backed by an unusualy complex flavor.
Some varieties have leaves more deeply cut than the photo specimen and
the leaves are very deeply cut on the wild version.
See also Rocket.
Chard - Chard is not a cabbage, it's a beet, a member of the
Amaranth family.
Collard Greens - [Couve (Brazil),
Couve-galega (Portugal), Berza (Spanish), Brassica oleracea
Group Acephala]
This cabbage originated in the Mediterranean and was grown by the
ancient Greeks and Romans who caried it as far north as Scotland. Scots
took it to the American South where it was adopted by slaves because it
could be used like an African green they were accustomed to cooking.
Collard is probably a corruption of "coleworts" (cabbage plants).
Collard greens are still popular in the U.S. South and available in
groceries throughout the USA. They are also a popular side dish for fish
and meat in Portugal and Brazil. These greens are very tough and rather
indigestible raw, but are quite nutritious after cooking until tender -
which takes a lot longer than for other cabbages. The photo specimens were
up to 15 inches long.
Garden Cress - [Pepper Grass, Pepperwort,
B. Lepidium sativum]
Used similarly to Watercress this green can tolerate
a wider range of moisture conditions so can be grown either in the garden
or hydroponically, prefering a slightly alkaline environment. It said to
be in great demand in some regions but I have never seen it in Southern
California where the broader leafed watercress is widely available year
round. Garden cress can grow to about 24 inches high and when allowed
to flower it produces fruits which when immature are similar to caper
berries. Cropped from original photo by
Rainer Zenz
licensed under the
GNU
Free Document License v1.2 or later.
Kale - [Brassica oleracea
Group Acephala]
Closely related to Collard Greens, kale comes in
various shades of green (mostly dark blue-green) and degrees of curliness.
Until the Renaisance kale was the dominant cabbage throughout most of
Europe and is still much grown there and in North America. Curly Kale is
the most common form in U.S. supermarkets but other varieties occasionally
appear. In Europe kale is often paired with potatoes to accompany sausages
or ham. Kale is considered the highest ranking vegetable for nutrition vs.
calories and contains powerful antioxidants.
Kohlrabi - [Aaanth Gobhi (India),
B. oleracea group Gongylodes]
It may look like it belongs with the root cabbages but the "bulb" is
actually a swolen stem so it's all "greens". The leaves can be used along
with the stem, which is similar to broccoli stem but sweeter. Generally
these are eaten fairly small because they become woody as they grow larger,
about 2 inches in the spring and 4 inches in the fall. Cultivar Gigante
is still edible in larger sizes. Young kohlrabi can be eaten raw
in salads as well as being cooked.
Mustard Greens - [Mustard Cabbage,
B. juncea]
Possibly originating in Central Asia, this species spread all through
Europe and China and exists as many cultivars very different from each
other (see Gai Choy for an example). Mustard greens
were carried to North America and is popular in the cuisine of the
American South to give a touch of pungency to
Collards and other greens.
Radish Sprouts - [Kaiware (Japan),
Raphanus sativus (many cultivars)]
Radish greens aren't much used outside Asian communities, but Daikon
Sprouts have become popular particularly for vegetarian sandwiches and
salads where their sharp radishy bite helps to liven up the mix. They are
generally packaged in a tall flimsy plastic container with growing matrix
in the bottom. The photo specimen was 5 inches high (including matrix
and roots) and weighed 5-3/8 ounces with a 2-1/2 ounce yield. For more
on radish greens see under Asian Greens.
Rappini - [Broccoli Rabe, Broccoletti
(Italian), B. Rapa Group Ruvo]
Though it looks much like Chinese Broccoli and has broccoli-like flower heads,
Rappini is actually a turnip green. Originally an Italian vegetable it is now
widely grown and widely available in the USA. The leaves have spiky edges and
the taste is relatively sharp and just a touch bitter compared to broccoli.
It is a significant source of vitamins A, C, and K, potassium, calcium, and
iron.
Rocket - [Roquette (fr), Rucola (it),
Rughetta (it), B. Eruca species, B. Diplotaxis species
(wall rocket)]
There are many varieties of rocket, a lot of which are common weeds but
some are used to pep up salad, particularly Arugula
The photo specimen from a local market is sold as "Chae". I haven't
found further information but from the market's clientel I presume
it is a variety from Western Asia. It has the expected sharp mustard bite
but the flavor is simpler than that of Arugula.
Turnip Greens - [B. rapa rapa]
Originating in Europe or Western Asia, the turnip has been cultivated since
prehistoric times. It is most known as a root crop and has been essential
to winter survival in Northern Europe for thousands of year. Some
varieties have been developed for their leaves rather than roots. I
consider this the best green for mixing up with sausages for breakfast.
The photo specimens are nearly 18 inches long.
Watercress - [Kotem (Armenia), B.
Nasturtium nasturtium-aquaticum and N. microphyllum]
Watercress, native to Europe and Western Asia, has been cultured and
eaten since prehistoric times. Its relatively mild mustardy bite is
a welcome addition to green salads and in sandwiches, but it's also used
cooked in soups and other recipes. Depending on how it was grown and cut
some of the stems can be quite large. All but the largest can be used
along with the leaves as they are hollow, tender and have much the same
flavor as the leaves. Details & Cooking.
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Asian Cabage & Turnip Greens
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A Choy - This is actually a lettuce and will be found in the
Daisy section.
Bok Choy - [xiao baicai (Mandarin),
Brassica rapa Group Chinensis]
Bok Choy, sharper in flavor and crisper than Napa
Cabbage has become very popular for stir frys and soups and is now
widely available in U.S. supermarkets, along with the misnamed
"Baby Bok Choy" which is actually Shanghai Bok Choy.
This vegetable is the "cabbage" of southern China while
Napa takes its place in the north. It is available
in a number of sizes. The largest is usually carried by U.S. groceries,
while markets serving Asian communities commonly have it in mid-size,
small and tiny versions, Bok choy does not form heads.
Bok Choy - Baby - [Brassica rapa Group
Chinensis]
This is the "real" baby bok choy, one of my favorite vegetables for stir
frys and such, but it's not widely available outside markets serving Asian
communities. It is not really "baby", it's a tiny variety as witnessed by
the mature flower heads you will find on it. Taste is similar to full size
bok choy but the distribution of stem and leaf is more pleasing in my
opinion.
Bok Choy - Long - [Brassica rapa Group
Chinensis]
This cultivar is longer and narrower than a regular mid-size bok choy, but
it tastes the same and can be used in exactly the same way. It occasionally
shows up in Asian markets in Los Angles, but probably not much elsewhere.
Bok Choy - Shanghai - [Baby Bok Choy (U.S.
groceries), qingcai (Shanghai Chinese), Chingensai (Japanese);
Brassica rapa Group Chinensis]
Probably the most popular vegetable in Shanghai, this bok choy is
now widely available in U.S. supermarkets. It's smaller than regular
bok choy, so supermarkets anxious to snag the yuppie dollar call it
"baby bok choy". Hey, yuppies snap up "baby carrots" (machine made
from full size carrots), so they'll probably buy "baby" anything.
Personally, I prefer a mid-size white bok choy, but others may disagree.
Chinese Broccoli - see Gai-lan.
Chinese Cabbage - see Napa Cabbage.
Choy Sum
This name does not specify a specific vegetable but translates as
"vegetable heart". It consists of just the center stalk and flower head
and the leaves directly on that stalk of any Chinese cabbage. The most
common are Boc Choy Sum which has white stems and
Yu Choy which has green stems.
Gai Choy - [Mustard Cabbage, Swatow Mustard,
B. juncea]
Despite its different appearance, this mustard is of the same species
as the common mustard greens sold in American
groceries and has about the same pungency but the leaves and stems are
fleshier. These greens are most commonly pickled and / or salted as
"Preserved Mustard". In the larger sizes they are considered imperfectly
digestible if not pickled, but smaller ones are used in stir frys. There
are a number of cultivars including some that are longer and leafier with
less prominant ridging on the stems.
Gai-lan - [Chinese Broccoli, Chinese Kale,
Kai-lan (China), B. oleracea Group Alboglabra]
While it looks a lot like Rapini, Chinese Broccoli is related
to European broccoli and cabbages while Rapini is a turnip green. It is
different in form from European broccoli having thinner more tender stems,
tiny flower heads and a lot of large leaves. The stems are always used
and open flowers, generally white, do not become bitter and are also
included with the rest of the plant when cooking. Separate leaves from
stems and give the stems a head start when cooking. This is a very
important vegetable in the cooking of China and Southeast Asia but only
begining to show up in U.S. supermarkets.
Details & Cooking.
Mizuna - [Kyona (Japan), Xiu Cai (China),
Chinese Potherb Mustard (made up by people desperate for an English name),
California Peppergrass, Brassica rapa Group Nipposinica]
This extremely mild turnip green is widely grown in China and particularly
Japan. It's currently not common in regular markets even here in Los
Angeles, and even in Asian markets, but is easily found in yuppie outlets
like Whole Foods Market. You can use it raw in salads or cooked in soups
and stir frys. Raw I find it so mild it's hardly worth the bother, but
lightly steamed or stir fried it has much more flavor and is quite plesant,
particularly if you consider regular mustard greens too strong.
Napa Cabbage - [Chinese Cabbage,
Celery Cabbage; Da Baicai, Pe-Tsai, Wong Bok (China); Hakusai (Japan);
Brassica rapa Group Pekinensis]
This turnip green is favored in northern China and Korea, especially for
its winter keeping properties. There are two common forms, the short blocky
form now found in just about every U.S. grocery store, and a long narrow
form pointed at the top. The long form is found in markets serving Asian
communities and is preferred for making Korean kimchee, Chinese sauerkraut
and for other fermented or pickled applications. The taste and texture are
the same, the long shape is simply more convenient for those uses.
Details and Cooking.
Radish Greens - [Lobok (China), Mu (Korea),
Daikon (Japan), Raphanus sativus (many cultivars)]
Radishes are a major crop in East Asia with all parts bring used,
including greens. Korean markets here in Los Angeles carry a full line
of radishes from "all greens" to giant multi-pound roots with their
coarse greens removed - and many "dual purpose" sizes in between. The photo
specimens are a variety sold primarily for greens.
Yu Choy - [Oilseed Rape, Yau Choy,
Nanohana (Japanese), Brassica napus]
This is an edible variety of the same plant Canola Oil and Rapeseed Oil are
produced from (Canola is a non-toxic low erucic acid rapeseed oil). While
While most rape grown worldwide is used to produce oil and animal feed,
the edible variety is used as a vegetable and widely available in the U.S.
in markets serving Asian communities.
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Health Considerations
All cabbage greens are considered highly nutritious. Aside from being
vitamin and mineral storehouses many are very high in antioxidants and
a number are considered to offer significant anti-cancer benefits. One
researcher consideres Kale to have the highest ratio
of nutrition to calories of any vegetable and uses it as the standard for
his system of nutrition classification.
Links
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