What is Pointy Cabbage?

Everyone in our house are huge cabbage fans. We like it raw, steamed, grilled and as a wrap for fantastic fillings (hint: cabbage rolls).

But what I found in my recent CSA didn’t look quite right. It looked like cabbage, but it was pointy.

Pointy cabbage is not a deformed round cabbage. It is actually its own thing. You may find it called pointed, hispi, hearted or sweetheart cabbage.

They are some distinct differences between pointy cabbage and regular round cabbage:

• The leaves are looser
• The leaves are more tender
• The taste is sweeter

When you buy pointy cabbage, make sure that the leaves are crisp and bright. Avoid heads that have wilted or discoloured leaves.

Freezing

Pointy cabbage, or any cabbage, can be frozen and stored for future use.

• Remove the loosest outer leaves. Keep an eye out for hitch hiking bugs.
• To make sure you have removed all hidden bugs, it is a good idea to soak whole heads in water for a couple of hours. The bugs don’t like drowning in water so they will make their way out of the cabbage.
• If you want to keep the leaves from falling apart, cut the cabbage lengthwise from the top to the harder core. You can cut it in half or into quarters. Keeping the hard core in tact prevents the leaves from falling off.
• Blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes. Be sure to place in an ice bath after boiling to shock and stop the cooking process.
• Once blanched, dry off the quarters and lay flat on a tray and place in the freezer.
• Once frozen, transfer into a freezer safe container or zip top bag. Label with name and date.

Cooking Tips:

• Do not over cook pointy cabbage. It needs to be tender without losing all of its texture.

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Do you love pointy cabbage? Let us know how you like to eat or prepare it.

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