If you have been following the food trends, the kale had been a vegetable that had enjoyed the limelight a few years back. There was attention paid to the cruciferous vegetables for the wonderful health benefits they offered. Hence, the chefs were busy whipping up unique recipes with the vegetable. Today the focus is on one of the same family, slightly different, cabbage.

Experiments with cabbage

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Many chefs in steakhouses are making it the limelight ingredient and the touch of green that accompanies the saucy steaks on the platters.  Marc at American Cut, a steakhouse in Manhattan, has created an entrée dish where she marinates cabbage slices in a mixture of garlic, balsamic vinegar and honey to grill it the next day for a unique flavored vegetable dish.

The vegetable is not dainty and does not melt in the mouth, offering fiber and a fullness which makes it a diet friendly vegetable for most. The vegetable comes in different forms. There are the green and tight forms that we are familiar with as well as the magenta versions which can be pointed, flat or frilled. The colonies adopted this vegetable as it could be stored well for months as well as thrives in cold climates well.

Changes from the usual forms

It has long been used in slaws which seem to be the only comforting thing about dunking into greasy burgers. Even then, the cabbage leaves are usually slathered with mayonnaise, adding on layers of unhealthy fat to the vegetable. It has also been a comforting factor in many diets as a soup that can be savored while one decides to stay away from other food items. Today, most chefs are experimenting with the vegetable to go beyond the common items and recipes that are known. The vegetable is being experimented with different forms. It is being roasted whole or grilled after being marinated. It can also be oven dried to make into chips.

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For those who are open to experimenting will find more of novel cabbage based dishes on the menu in many restaurants. The roasted whole cabbage is another novelty that is tried by impaling the green head and revolving the head in fire till the outside turns coal black. The inside then gains a smoky and soft version which can be enjoyed with a creamy sauce as well as a Sherry vinaigrette. It also goes well with blue cheese which adventurous eater can try.

There are traditional cabbage dishes that will also see an upheaval this year during the holiday season along with Classic Tomato Soup. The bacon wraps in cabbage have always been a favorite for many. One can also make rolls of other mixtures with this leaf, making it a crunchy and more filling mouthful with the goodness of texture and fiber. If you are open to exploring, this is the vegetable that will give you many options to try out in your kitchen.