Helen Getz’s Napa Cabbage with Hot Bacon Dressing Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Helen Getz’s Napa Cabbage with Hot Bacon Dressing Recipe on Food52? ›

You can eat it both raw or cooked. Like any cabbage, napa makes a great addition to bulk up a dish. Before cooking, it's important to separate the leaves and thick stalks and add them separately as the leaves wilt quickly. To enjoy it raw, finely shred it and add it to slaws or salads or as your noodle topping.

You can eat it both raw or cooked. Like any cabbage, napa makes a great addition to bulk up a dish. Before cooking, it's important to separate the leaves and thick stalks and add them separately as the leaves wilt quickly. To enjoy it raw, finely shred it and add it to slaws or salads or as your noodle topping.

Napa cabbage, a Chinese variety that can be found at any major grocery store, has a more tender texture and slightly sweeter taste than standard green or red cabbages. It's commonly used in dishes like kimchi, soups, or as a stuffing for dumplings, but there's a world of other ways to eat napa cabbage.

Cabbage. The outer layer isn't going to be eaten—the leaves are tougher and undesirable to many—so why wash cabbage? There's a good reason: Worms or other insects could be inside the cabbage, so to be safe, follow these steps for cleaning and washing it.

Add Vinaigrette, Emphasis on "Vinegar"

Acidity can really bring a pleasant flavor out of bitter greens. If they're being used for a salad, it's good to add a vinaigrette with plenty of acidity to brighten it up. If you are sauteing, add some vinegar or citrus to the greens to finish them off.

Tips for storing cabbage

Wrapped tightly in plastic, a head of cabbage will keep for about two weeks in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Once cut, use cabbage within 2-3 days. Cover and refrigerate cooked cabbage within two hours of cooking and use within 3-5 days.

Adding vinegar to the water (1/2 cup distilled white vinegar per 1 cup water), followed by a clean water rinse, has been shown to reduce bacterial contamination but may affect texture and taste. After washing, blot dry with paper towels or use a salad spinner to remove excess moisture.

If you need shredded cabbage, dunk your pre-cut cabbage into a cool water bath and let it drain, per Martha Stewart, who notes that your cabbage could even be infested with worms.

Both are excellent sources of important vitamins and minerals. Regular cabbage contains more calcium, zinc and potassium than napa, but napa cabbage contains higher levels of vitamins A, B3, iron and copper. Napa is also lower in sodium than regular cabbage.

While both green and red cabbage are excellent sources of this potent antioxidant, red cabbage contains significantly more ( 2 , 22 ). One cup (89 g) of chopped red cabbage packs in 56% of the recommended intake for vitamin C, which is the same amount found in a small orange ( 22 , 23 ).

Why is napa cabbage so expensive? ›

A significant reason for the rising price of cabbage is drought which makes it hard to grow the crop.

Napa cabbage offers a wide range of health benefits:

Vitamin C: The cabbage is rich in vitamin C, which can help the body fight infection and can also inhibit inflammation and free radicals. Vitamin K: Napa cabbage is rich in vitamin K, which can promote healthy, strong bones.

When shopping, avoid yellowing and brown spots on your napa cabbage. Refrigerate unwashed in a sealed plastic bag between five to seven days. To use, cut the head in half lengthwise and remove the bottom core. Separate and wash leaves, then pat dry.

Do you eat napa cabbage raw or cooked? You can enjoy crunchy napa cabbage raw in salads, as a sandwich topping and as healthy wraps. The leafy vegetable is also a mainstay in stir-fries, soups, stews and casseroles. Napa is a great choice for pickling too.

Napa cabbage does best in temperatures between 50-80°F (10-27°C). It doesn't enjoy temperatures over 80-85°F (27-29°C). Napa is generally easier to grow in late summer/fall, as it performs well with gradually decreasing day length and cooling temperatures, rather than temperatures warming into the heat of summer.