take the cabbages up into a colander, place a plate over them, let them thoroughly drain, dish, cutting them into squares.
Time.—Small young cabbages, 15 to 20 minutes; large cabbages and savoys, from 30 to 40 minutes. Average Cost, from 1d. each. Seasonable all the year.
The Cabbage Tribe: their Origin.—Of all the species of the Cruciferae the genus Brassica are the most important, containing plants which, both in themselves and their products, occupy a prominent position in agriculture, commerce, and domestic enconomy. In many places on the coast of Dorsetshire, Cornwall and Yorkshire, these grow as a wild plant, with variously indented, much waved, and loosely spreading leaves of a sea-green colour and large yellow flowers. This is the Brassica olcracea, the wild cabbage, or colewort, from which have originated all the varieties of cabbage, cauliflower, greens, and broccoli.
1463.—CABBAGE, BRAISED. (Fr.—Choux braisés.)
Ingredients.—Savoy cabbages, slices of fat bacon, 1 or 2 onions, 1 or 2 carrots, a bouquet-garni (parsley, thyme, bay-leaf), stock, salt and pepper.
Method.—Wash, trim and halve the cabbages, cover them with boiling water, adding 1 tablespoonful of salt. Boil rapidly for 15 minutes, then drain well, and cut away the stalks. Sprinkle carefully with salt and pepper, put 2 halves together, and fasten them securely. Cover the bottom of a stewpan with slices of bacon, put in the cabbages, add the onions and carrots thickly sliced, herbs, and a good seasoning of salt and pepper. Add sufficient stock to nearly cover the cabbages, put on a closely-fitting lid, and simmer gently for 1 hour. When ready, remove the strings, drain well, press dry in a cloth, shape as required, and use as a garnish to an entrée.
Time.—Altogether, about 1½ hours. Average Cost, cabbages, 2d. cach. Allow 1 small cabbage for 2 persons. Seasonable in winter.
1464.—CABBAGE WITH WHITE SAUCE. (Fr.—Choux à la Sauce Blanche.)
Ingredients.—Cabbage, ½ a pint of white sauce, or melted butter sauce (see Sauces, Nos. 223 and 202). To each ½ gallon of water allow 1 heaped tablespoonful of salt, a very small piece of soda.
Method.—Pick off all dead or faded outside leaves, cut off as much of the stalk as possible, and cut the cabbages across twice at the stalk end; if they should be very large, quarter them. Wash them well in cold water, and drain. Throw them into plenty of fast-boiling water, to which have been added salt and soda in the above proportions. Stir them down once or twice in the water, and let them boil quickly for 8 minutes; have another saucepan with fast-boiling water prepared as above, and throw them into it, and let them boil for 15 minutes; cast away the water in the first saucepan, and fill it as before, remove the cabbages once again into this, and let them boil for 10 minutes if small, for 20 minutes if large. Take up into a colander, drain and press well, and season with pepper. Serve in a hot vegetable dish, cut into squares, and pour over the sauce.
