Farm Focus: Minuet Cabbage
Minuet Cabbage (also commonly called Chinese Cabbage or Napa Cabbage) has thick crisp stems and frilly yellow-green leaves. The flavor is often sweeter and softer than common cabbage. Seasoned and fermented, it tastes great as kimchi and Minuet cabbage shines as a base for raw salads and stir-fries. Its outer leaves are great for wrapping homemade spring rolls but the tender inner leaves are what really makes this vegetable an extremely versatile superstar.
Minuet cabbage is extremely low in calories but packed with many antioxidant plant compounds such as carotenes, thiocyanates, indole-3-carbinol, lutein, zea-xanthin, sulforaphane and isothiocyanates. Studies suggest these compounds are known to offer protection against breast, colon, lung and prostate cancers and help reduce LDL or “bad cholesterol” levels in the blood.
Try this recipe from Real Simple that is perfect pairing of Red Wattle pork, Minuet cabbage and Asian flavors.
Grilled Pork Chops with Sesame Slaw
4 8-ounce bone-in pork chops (about 1 inch thick)
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
1 tablespoon honey
1 small head Minuet cabbage, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
Heat grill to medium-high. Season the pork with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Grill until cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes per side.Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the orange juice, oil, vinegar, sesame seeds, honey, and ¾ teaspoon salt. Add the cabbage and cilantro and toss to combine. Serve with the pork chops.
