Topic: Asturian Tree Cabbage - how to cook?

[earlypea]

Hi there

My second attempt at growing (eating) this.  First time it was very poor and I only got to sample a few leaves, which seemed rather unpalatable.  Tried again this year, and have two flourishing plants, but having tried three different ways of cooking end up with grey, papery, tough, chewy leaves.

How on earth does one make this edible and/or appealing?

Any happy eaters of this out there?

Cheers

[goodlife]

Oh I love the stuff  !!!!!

Hmmm...grey!? Perhaps you have over cooked it?
My asturian cabbage is lovely zingy green on the plant...and doesn't really change that much during cooking, or depending how much you cook it.
To get best out of it, I like growing mine VERY lush...so the leaves are BIIIIG and cook it as soon as it is picked or it soon goes limp and its not so nice anymore.
Young leaves are nice cut thinly or just ripped apart and quick cooked in teeny amount of water..after which I just sprinkle bit of salt, add 'you know what' amount of butter and touch of black & white pepper..and that's it!
Larger older leaves usually end up for chickens...I tend to grow too much of it anyway, so can't keep up with the plants. But I have used them as 'cabbage leaves',,,dipped them into boiling water to soften them up and used them for wrapping other food things which are then cooked in oven like thick cigars...+ sprinkle of cheese of course!

[goodlife]

oh...forgot to add to previous post..

Use it as 'stir fry' green...chop it, shred it or rip it apart and cook it as little as possible and it won't be leathery at all

[earlypea]

Thanks a lot Goodlife.

I think from what you say it might be a 'cropping' issue rather than a cooking one.  Mine are indeed lime-green on the tree, ever so zingy and lush-looking.  It turns grey when I try to cook the toughness out, mainly by braising or whatever.  First couple of attempts were green as served but unspeakably tough.

You say you can't keep up with it and give big, old leaves to the chickens.  Well, those are the ones I'm trying to cook.  I thought they would just hold on the plant until I was ready for them in autumn through winter.

I'll scrap all the older leaves and try the fresher ones.  Presumably I won't see much more growth till spring now, so that's a shame. 

To be honest I don't mind gnawing my way through it (I grew it and I'll be damned if I'm not going to eat it), but the others fall of their chairs laughing when they see it coming.

Thanks again

[goodlife]

They do 'hold on until you are ready'..but you just have to cut it more fine for cooking.
I just think and treat it as I would any kale or spring cabbage...but then again my mouth do like a 'texture' and 'bite' with green, never cook anything soft...OH doesn't get any saying with that..he just have to do what ever is given..
If he dare to complain....there is no more anything for him...

[artichoke]

We enjoyed caldo verde in Portugal. The cabbage is so finely sliced it is like spaghetti in the soup, and easy to eat and stays bright green. I've made it at home, too, eg:

http://pigletinportugal.com/2012/01/08/traditional-portuguese-cabbage-soup-caldo-verde/

[squeezyjohn]

I think you treat it like kale.  I have grown that one but prefer the flavour of Taunton Deane tree kale which is the only perennial kale I have now.

The trick is to let them get big enough that you have loads of side-branches and then only pick the tender young leaves for eating ... for me if they get as big as your hand they will be too tough.  When picked that young they are fine boiled or steamed as a vegetable ... slightly bigger ones can be used like stir-fry greens.

When I get some chickens - they will definitely get the big dark green leaves!