One ancient wild cabbage became the entire family of cruciferous vegetables that we know today.
The brassica family of vegetables, also called cruciferous or cole crops, includes broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kohlrabi, turnips, bok choy, and mustard greens among others. Ancient farmers selected each one for their leaves or their ability to form a tight head, flowers, or root.
Brussels Sprouts, cabbage, and kohlrabi have similar flavors. You can use them in the same ways.
After the recipes, I have variations that show how closely related these vegetables are.
Bringing them Home
Store all of the vegetables, in the refrigerator, in a loose-fitting plastic or perforated bag. They will keep for two to three weeks, depending on how fresh they were when purchased.
Brussels Sprouts – If you can find brussels sprouts on the stalk, and have room in your fridge, keep them attached until you are ready to use them. The stalk will help to keep them fresh.
Kohlrabi – Remove the leaves from kohlrabi and save them, cook them like kale.
Cabbage – Don’t cut it open until you are ready to use it.
Special Preparation – Kohlrabi
Kohlrabi’s odd appearance and structure, leave it out in the cold when it tries to relate to unfamiliar cooks.
It’s not a root vegetable, more like a swollen broccoli stem. Once you get through the outer layer, use it like broccoli, either raw, steamed, sautéed, or roasted.
Peel kohlrabi thoroughly. It has a tough, fibrous outer layer. The layer is so thick I recommend using a knife instead of a vegetable peeler.
Once you get through the appearance, another problem that I have with kohlrabi is that you will only have a small amount, especially after peeling. With a standard size bunch of three bulbs, you might end up with only 1 cup of useable product. The leaves and bulbs can be combined or cooked separately, but you need to plan because the cooking options for the two parts are different. I will often cook the bulbs with broccoli, and then use the leaves with kale or collard greens
The Simplest Recipes
These are my standard recipes that I go back to over and over again.
Kohlrabi Slaw
After removing the outer layer, grate the peeled bulbs to shred. In a mixing bowl, combine the grated kohlrabi bulbs with lemon juice, salt, fresh ground pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Stir to combine and eat.
Add shredded kohlrabi to a green salad if you just have one or two small bulbs or add it to a broccoli salad
Or sliced the peeled bulb into thin slices and dip in ranch.
Seared Brussels Sprouts
You don’t want to overcook brussels sprouts. I find this quick-cooking recipe the fastest way to get the caramelized flavor that enhances the bitter sprout.
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved or quartered lengthwise through the core
- salt and pepper
- ½ cup of water
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat, add the Brussels sprouts, turning each one so that the cut side is facing the bottom of the pan. Let them sit for 3-5 minutes until they have browned on the bottom. Then, season with salt and pepper, and occasionally stir for 2-3 minutes, cooking the other sides. Add water and cook until evaporated, about 2-4 minutes. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Roasted Cabbage Wedges with Onion Dijon Sauce (adapted from anoregoncottage.com)
- 1 medium green cabbage
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt & pepper
- Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh onion
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 large minced garlic clove
- Pinch of salt and pepper
- optional: chopped chives or parsley for serving
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Cut cabbage 6-8 equal wedges, cutting through the core, so that the wedge stays together. Arrange the wedges on the prepared baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to coat each wedge’s cut side with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Turn wedges and repeat. Place the baking sheet in the oven and cook for 10-12 minutes. Flip the wedges and roast until nicely browned, 8-10 minutes more.
Meanwhile, make the sauce by adding all the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter is completely melted. Keep warm (alternately, place ingredients in a microwavable container and cook on high for about 1 minute – warm again before using). To serve, place the wedges on a plate and drizzle with the sauce. Sprinkle with chives or parsley, if desired.
Southwestern Cabbage Salad
This slaw is like the topping on fish tacos
- 1 head cabbage, finely shredded
- 2-3 carrots, shredded
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup prepared salsa
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-2 teaspoon lemon or lime juice
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves, chopped
In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, and green onions. Stir in the salsa, sour cream, salt, lemon juice, and cilantro. Let is sit for 15 minutes and eat.
Variations on recipes
You could add cubed kohlrabi bulb to this recipe and cook together at the same time.
Shred Brussels sprouts in the food processor and use them in the Southwester Cabbage Salad recipe.
You can cook the cabbage in the same stovetop method as the brussels sprouts if you have a small head of cabbage or just cook a portion of it.
Or you can roast the Brussels sprouts in the oven, like the cabbage.
Add shredded kohlrabi to the salad.
Brussels Sprouts and Pesticides
Brussels sprouts have a very long growing season. They like the cold, but farmers can’t always avoid the warmer shoulder seasons, and the sprouts become a magnet for insects. If you buy them conventionally grown, they will have pesticides sprayed on them to prevent the infestations. If you purchase organic Brussels sprouts, they will have lots of organic pesticides sprayed on them.
Organic pesticides are the elephant in the room, they are made from naturally occurring substances, but they aren’t in quantities that are considered natural anymore.
The best way to avoid pesticides is to find out when the optimum growing season is in your region. And the only way to do this is to meet your farmer.
Keep Things Simple
I continue to keep things simple with cooking cruciferous vegetables. I like to keep the added ingredients to a minimum and let the vegetables speak for themselves. This will always make for an easy recipe that is also fast to prepare.
You can find many embellished brussels sprout gratin recipes or add bacon to help counter-balance the bitter flavors, but save these recipes for special occasions. When it comes to day to day meals, keep things simple and spend a little less time cooking.