FROM THE CABBAGE PATCH TO YOUR DINNER TABLE.

Byline: Natalie Haughton Food Editor

Cabbage, often associated with coleslaw or the once-a-year corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick's Day, can add a flavorful crispness to many more dishes.

Erase the traditional thinking about this leafy vegetable. Even the best chefs are starting to feature cabbage in a new way.

The economical vegetable may have developed a lingering reputation as a commonplace, even coarse food, says Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, but ``it is worthy of the most refined preparations. At the restaurant, we serve it with fois gras and caviar. Its sweetness complements the richness of duck and pork.''

It comes in a wide variety of colors, flavors and varieties. Besides green, red and savoy head cabbages, the extended cabbage family - species Brassica Oleracea - includes broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, kohlrabi and brussels sprouts.

Most Asian cabbages belong to the species B. Rapa - including napa or Chinese cabbage, many kinds of bok choy and much more. There are plenty of selections for cooks to experiment with at supermarkets, farmers markets and Asian markets.

Cabbage lends itself to all kinds of dishes - both hot and cold. You can stuff it, steam it, stir-fry it, saute it, microwave it or pickle it.

Whatever you do, don't overcook it.

``Cooked well, cabbage has wonderful texture and lots of spicy, sweet flavor,'' notes Waters in her cookbook, ``Chez Panisse Vegetables.''

``Long sessions in covered pots give cabbage its sulfuric bite and hence its bad reputation,'' writes Deborah Madison in her cookbook, ``Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.'' ``Brief cooking keeps cabbage sweet and tender.''

When buying, all cabbages should have a fresh, firm appearance. Look for green heads that are firm and heavy for their size and with crisp outer leaves. Avoid blemished heads with withered leaves. Red cabbage should be purple. Savoy heads will be a little less compact than other heads. Napa cabbage should be free of blemishes and with compact leaves, but avoid really large heads as they may taste too strong. Bok choy should have firm, unsplit stems and no wilted or discolored leaves.

Store cabbage in a plastic bag in the crisper section of the refrigerator, where it will last a week or more (once cut, pieces should be used within a couple of days). Use savoy, napa or bok choy within three or four days.

Don't rinse cabbage until ready to use. Remove any outer leaves that wilt prior to cooking.

Be sure to use a stainless steel (not carbon steel) knife when cutting cabbage to prevent green cabbage from turning black and red cabbage from turning blue. Cook red cabbage in a nonreactive pot, such as stainless steel or glass (not aluminum, cast iron or coppoer) to preserve its bright color.

Although each type of cabbage has a different nutritional profile, generally cabbage is rich in vitamin C, the B vitamin folates and potential cancer-fighting phytochemical compounds, low in calories and fat, and cholesterol free.

When cooking with cabbage, figure that a 1 1/2-pound red or green head will yield between 6 and 8 cups shredded or chopped cabbage and 4 to 6 cups cooked, enough for four servings. A 1-pound head of savoy will yield about 6 to 7 cups packed; a 1-pound head of napa cabbage about 4 to 5 cups packed and a 1-pound head of bok choy with stems about 5 cups packed.

SWEET-AND-SOUR CABBAGE SOUP

This is a facsimile of the cabbage soup served at Jerry's Famous Deli (Woodland Hills, Encino, Westwood and other locations) that ran in the Restaurant Replicas column a few years ago.

1 1/2 pounds beef back ribs

6 cups water

2 teaspoons beef stock base

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon peppercorns

1 (28-ounce) can cut-up, peeled tomatoes, undrained

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

8 cups packed coarsely shredded cabbage

1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt OR more to taste

1/2 teaspoon garlic pepper

1/2 lemon, sliced

3 to 4 tablespoons sugar OR more to taste

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a large stock or soup pot, combine beef, water, beef base, bay leaves and peppercorns. Heat to boiling, skim off any residue or foam that rises to surface. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove meat and bone from pot; cool. Save for another use.

Strain stock; discard bay leaves and peppercorns. Return stock to soup pot. Add undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, cabbage, seasoned salt, pepper and lemon slices. Mix well. Heat to boiling, reduce heat to medium and cook, uncovered, 30 to 40 minutes, until cabbage is limp. Stir in sugar and lemon juice, adjusting as necessary to make soup sweet and sour tasting. Heat a few minutes longer. Makes 6 or more servings.

WINTER SALAD OF RED CABBAGE AND DRIED FRUITS

1/2 head red cabbage, (about 1 pound), cored and shredded OR thinly sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Red wine vinegar OR pear, raspberry OR cider vinegar

5 dried apricots, diced

5 dried golden figs such as Calimyrna (Smyrna), diced

5 dried pears, diced

5 prunes, pitted and diced

1 tart, sweet, juicy apple such as Granny Smith, unpeeled, cored and cut into julienne strips

1 to 2 tablespoons canola, safflower oil OR sunflower oil

Several pinches ground cumin 

1/2 teaspoon sugar OR to taste

Salt and pepper 

2 to 3 heaping tablespoons walnut pieces

In a bowl, combine red cabbage and salt, pepper and vinegar to taste and toss well. Cover and let stand at least 2 hours at room temperature or, preferably, overnight in refrigerator. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon liquid. Add apricots, figs, pears, prunes and apple to cabbage and toss well. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil and add cumin, sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning with additional oil, vinegar, cumin, sugar, salt and/or pepper. Just before serving, add walnuts and toss to mix well. Makes 4 servings.

VARIATIONS: Substitute 2 tablespoons golden raisins for prunes. Other winter fruits, such as pears, Fuyu persimmons, or pomegranate seeds, may be used in place of the apple.

From ``Vegetable (Williams-Sonoma),''recipes and text by Marlena Spieler.

HAM WITH CABBAGE AND APPLES

4 cups coleslaw mix OR shredded cabbage

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)

1 large green cooking apple, sliced

1 pound fully cooked ham slice, about 1/2-inch thick

Spray a 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium heat. Cook all ingredients except ham in skillet about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until apple is crisp-tender. Place ham on cabbage mixture; reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 5 to 10 minutes or until ham is hot. Makes 4 servings.

From ``Betty Crocker's Quick and Easy Cookbook.''

BRAISED RED OR GREEN CABBAGE

1 head red OR green cabbage

1 medium onion

3 tablespoons duck fat

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

1 bay leaf

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup water

1 apple

Remove outer leaves from cabbage. Cut in half, remove core and slice cabbage very thin. Peel onion and slice very thin. In a large pan, heat duck fat, add onion and cook 5 minutes. Add cabbage, vinegar, bay leaf, salt and pepper and water. Cover and simmer 20 minutes. Peel and grate apple, add to cabbage and cook another 5 minutes. Taste and correct seasoning and serve. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

From ``Chez Panisse Vegetables,'' by Alice Waters and the cooks of Chez Panisse.

CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE

3 ribs celery, cut into 3-inch lengths

2 medium onions, cut lengthwise into quarters

1 (2 1/2- to 3-pound) boneless corned beef brisket 

Water

1 pound green cabbage, cut into 3-inch wedges

1 pound red potatoes, cut into 2-inch pieces

6 to 8 small carrots, tops trimmed OR 4 medium carrots, cut crosswise into thirds

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Salt and pepper

Red Currant-Mustard Sauce

Chopped parsley

Place celery and onions in 4 1/2- to 5 1/2-quart slow cooker; top with corned beef brisket. Add corned beef seasoning packet, if included, and 3 1/2 cups water. Cover and cook on HIGH setting 7 hours or on LOW setting 9 to 10 hours, or until brisket is fork-tender. Remove brisket; set aside. Discard cooking liquid and solids.

Place cabbage, red potatoes and carrots in a 2 1/2-quart microwave-safe casserole; add 1/2 cup water. Cover and microwave on high power 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring once. Drain vegetables; add butter and salt and pepper, as desired; toss to coat. Carve brisket diagonally across grain into thin slices. Serve with vegetables and Red Currant-Mustard Sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

RED CURRANT-MUSTARD SAUCE: Place 1 (12-ounce) jar red currant jelly in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Cover and microwave on high power 1 1/2 to 2 minutes or until smooth, stirring once. Whisk in 3 tablespoons coarse-grain Dijon-style mustard. Cover and microwave on high 30 seconds. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

NOTE: If corned beef does not come with seasoning packet, substitute 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns and 1 bay leaf.

VARIATION: To cook on stove top, bring corned beef, seasoning, onions, celery and water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until fork-tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. Prepare vegetables as directed above.

STIR-FRIED PORK, SPINACH AND NAPA CABBAGE

1 pound lean boneless pork loin, trimmed of excess fat

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1 pound fresh spinach, cleaned and chopped

1 head napa cabbage (about 1 pound), shredded

1 tablespoon cornstarch 

3 tablespoons chili sauce

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Cut pork into thin strips. In a wok or large skillet, heat oil until hot. Add pork and stir-fry over high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Add red pepper, spinach and napa cabbage and stir-fry 6 to 7 minutes, until spinach and cabbage are cooked down. Mix cornstarch with chili sauce and rice vinegar. Add to wok along with soy sauce and garlic powder. Stir-fry until sauce clears and thickens, 1 to 2 minutes. Makes 4 servings.

From ``365 Easy One-Meals,'' by Natalie Haughton.

BEEF CABBAGE SKILLET DINNER

1 pound ground beef sirloin

1/2 onion, chopped

1/3 cup uncooked converted white rice

1 large head green cabbage, shredded OR chopped

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can cut-up, peeled tomatoes, undrained

1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper OR more to taste

In a large 12-inch skillet, cook beef with onion, breaking up, until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat and remove beef and onion to large plate; mix in uncooked rice and set aside. Wash and dry skillet. Add 1/2 of cabbage to bottom of skillet, spreading evenly. In a medium bowl, combine tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar, lemon juice and raisins; mix well. Pour 1/2 of tomato mixture over cabbage in skillet. Heat to boiling over high heat. Top with beef mixture, spreading evenly. Spoon remaining tomato mixture evenly over top. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling, without stirring. Reduce heat to medium low, cover skillet and cook about 30 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove lid and if necessary cook over high heat 5 minutes longer to reduce sauce in skillet. Let stand 5 minutes. Makes 4 to 5 servings.

Adapted from ``365 Easy One-Dish Meals,'' by Natalie Haughton.

Leafing through varieties at the market

-- GREEN CABBAGE: The most common type, this comes in a firm, compact, spherical head with smooth, dark to pale green leaves that tightly overlap one another. Serve raw in coleslaw or use in cooked dishes. One cup raw chopped green cabbage has 22 calories and 29 milligrams vitamin C.

-- RED CABBAGE: Except for its purple color (and white veins inside), this is nearly identical to green cabbage. Use it raw or cook or pickle it. One cup raw chopped red cabbage has 24 calories and 51 milligrams vitamin C.

-- SAVOY CABBAGE: This style is more tender than green cabbage and has crinkled, flexible green leaves in a loosely packed head. Although it has a milder and sweeter flavor and more tender texture than regular green cabbage, savoy can be used interchangeably with it or red cabbage. One cup raw chopped has 19 calories and 22 milligrams vitamin C.

-- NAPA CABBAGE: Although Chinese in origin (it has nothing to do with California's Napa Valley), this cabbage, also known as celery or Chinese cabbage, is a longtime staple of Japanese cooking. It is also a common ingredient in the Korean condiment kimchi. With its oblong football rather than round shape, a white base and pale green loose leaves, it is lighter in weight than red or green cabbage heads (but should feel compact when you press on it). It has a slightly zesty, sweeter, milder flavor and crispness than other cabbages and is delicious eaten raw or cooked. It is often used in dishes with Asian overtones, including salads, stir-fries, soups and entrees. Cook for less time than green head cabbage. The white ribs can be sliced or shredded for salads or cut in strips to use on veggie platters. One cup cooked napa cabbage has 13 calories and 3.49 milligrams vitamin C.

-- BOK CHOY: Also called Chinese white cabbage, this vegetable is loosely formed, has wide white stalks, a slightly bulbous base and dark green leaves. The stalks have a mild flavor and add crunch to dishes while the leaves are tangy and bitter. This versatile vegetable is one of the most popular in Chinese cooking. It can be cut up and cooked leaves and all, by itself, or added to stir-fries, noodle dishes and soups. One cup cooked bok choy has 20 calories and 44 milligrams vitamin C. Also look for baby bok choy, which tastes fresh, sweet and clean - and not very cabbage-y.

-- TUSCAN: A relative newcomer to this country, this cabbage can be found at some farmers markets and specialty produce stores. Like a narrow version of kale, with long, narrow, somewhat feathery dark green leaves and white ribs, it has a mild flavor. There is also a black Tuscan cabbage with dark purple leaves that appear almost black.

SOURCES: ``Wellness Foods A to Z,'' by Sheldon Margen, M.D., and the editors of the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter; and ``Asian Ingredients,'' by Bruce Cost.

- Natalie Haughton

CAPTION(S):

8 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- 5 -- cover -- color) Use your heads

Many ways to showcase cabbage

(6 -- color) Sweet-and-Sour Cabbage Soup

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

(7 -- color) Winter Salad of Red Cabbage and Dried Fruits

From ``Williams-Sonoma Vegetable,'' Simon & Schuster 

(8 -- color) Corned Beef and Cabbage

Box:

Leafing through varieties at the market (see text)