Pointed Cabbage

Pointed cabbage...

• ...supports the immune system.
  Pointed cabbage is rich in dietary fiber and vitamin C, which helps keep the body’s immune system healthy.
• ...prevents colds.
  The particularly large quantities of zinc in pointed cabbage help the body defend against the common cold.
• ...supports digestive health.
  The roughage in pointed cabbage gently stimulates the intestines and ensures the digestive system functions well.
• ...can help you lose weight.
  Figure-conscious people can hardly go wrong with pointed cabbage. This tender white cabbage fills the stomach and contains important minerals, vitamins and fiber, but has relatively few calories.
• ...contains valuable plant compounds.
  Pointed cabbage contains a concentrated load of secondary plant substances such as bioflavonoids, chlorophyll, indole and phenols, which help prevent the body’s cells against damaging free radicals.
• ...protects the stomach and intestines.
  Pointed cabbage contains the protein building block methylmethionine, which studies have shown can help prevent stomach and intestinal ulcers.
• ...is easily digestible.
  Unlike white or red cabbage, pointed cabbage has a fine, almost tender structure, which makes it relatively easy to digest.

What You Should Know About Pointed Cabbage

Pointed cabbage is characterized by its delicious flavor and its pointed top.  The individual leaves lie loosely on top of each other and the cabbage head is not as heavy as the usual white cabbage.

Origins

Even botanists are not quite sure where the pointed cabbage first appeared, but its original home is thought to be in China.

Season

Pointed cabbage is available almost all year round. In spring and early summer, the heads are smaller and the leaves more tender than in autumn and winter.

Flavor

The pointed cabbage is sometimes referred to as buttered cabbage, because of its subtle, fine flavor. It tastes a bit like a mix between savoy cabbage and cauliflower, with a slightly nutty aftertaste.

How Healthy is Pointed Cabbage?

Like all types of cabbage, pointed cabbage is a rich source of vitamins. It contains so much ascorbigen (a precursor of vitamin C) that one portion of pointed cabbage easily covers the average daily requirement of around 100 milligrams. Pointed cabbage is also extremely low in calories and fat, and is more digestible than most other types of cabbage. 

Shopping and Cooking Tips

Purchasing

When shopping, make sure that the pointed cabbage head has green, crisp leaves and feels nice and firm. Yellowish discoloration on the leaves is a sign that pointed cabbage has been stored for too long.

Storage

Consume fresh pointed cabbage as soon as possible, as its tender structure means that it only keeps for 2-3 days. For storage, it is best to wrap the head like fresh asparagus in a damp kitchen towel and place it in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator.

Preparation

Carefully loosen the outer leaves and then rinse the pointed cabbage briefly. Then halve or quarter it, cut out the stalk and chop the cabbage. For roulades of pointed cabbage, simply remove the leaves from the whole head and, if necessary, cut the leaf veins flat in the middle. Blanching or pre-cooking is not necessary with young pointed cabbages; they are so tender that they do not break even when rolled up raw.

What to Make With Pointed Cabbage

Pointed cabbage shouldn't be braised or cooked for long, as it will lose its bite. It's enough to cut the leaves into strips and stew them for 5-8 minutes with some vegetable stock and a little butter or cream. Thanks to its fine consistency, pointed cabbage is ideal for salads and raw vegetable dishes. The very young, tender pointed cabbage is also excellent if you quarter it lengthwise and then roast or steam it. This makes an uncomplicated but refined side dish for roasted poultry or meat.

Pointed cabbage's tender but large leaves are ideal for delicious fillings of minced meat, fish or vegetables. In general, the cabbage goes very well with recipes that include meat, but pointed cabbage is also perfect for light home cooking such as vegetable stew, mashed potatoes or tarte flambée. You can also cut it into strips and stew it with some crushed garlic in a little good olive oil. Also very tasty: cut the cabbage in quarters, braise it briefly and serve it with a freshly cooked tomato sauce or a bolognese.