February gets a new Harvest of the Month this year — cabbage! This versatile vegetable prefers a colder growing season and is usually harvested in the fall. The cabbage heads can then be stored in the refrigerator for up to six weeks, or two to three months in a root cellar, then enjoyed all winter long.
There are many different types of cabbage. The two we see most often in the grocery store are red and green cabbage. At your local farmstand you might also find savoy cabbage, which is green with extra curly, deeply ridged leaves, or napa cabbage which has a longer shape and leaves that fade from green to white. It probably won’t surprise you that Brussels sprouts are also a type of cabbage.
This month try tasting a new type of cabbage or preparing it in a different way. Finely slice red or green cabbage and add it to salads, stir fries, or wraps. Chopped napa cabbage is delicious in soups, and heads of savoy cabbage can be chopped into quarters and roasted in the oven with butter and parmesan. You can also try this month’s featured recipe — Cabbage Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette and Sunflower Seeds.
Cabbage Salad with Chili Lime Vinaigrette and Sunflower Seeds
(Recipe by Austin Racine and Maura Martin of Mo’s Lunch)
For the Salad:
1 head green or red cabbage
¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup dehydrated or fried garlic flakes
For the chile lime vinaigrette:
¼ cup sunflower seeds soaked in ½ cup water for a minimum of half an hour
¼ cup fresh-squeezed lime juice
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp. Sambal Oelek chile sauce or Sriracha
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup extra virgin olive oil or canola oil
For the vinaigrette:
Add the first 5 ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. With the blender running on medium speed, slowly add the oil. (If the mixture seems to become too thick at any point, drizzle in a little water.)
For the salad:
Preheat oven to 400℉ and lay out sunflower seeds in an even layer on a sheet tray. Toast until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 5 minutes.
Thinly slice cabbage, similar to how you would for coleslaw.
Add desired amount of dressing and top with toasted sunflower seeds and fried garlic.
Leftover dressing will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Also, the dressed salad holds up nicely in the fridge, even after a day or two!
