Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 3, Episode 10 - Pantry Raid III: Cool Beans - full transcript

GOOD EVENING, AND WELCOME
TO "THE FOOD GALLERY."

THIS HUMBLE COLLECTION
HOUSES THE FOODSTUFFS

OF CHILDHOOD NIGHTMARES,

THE EAT-THEM-THEY'RE-
GOOD-FOR-YOU FOODS.

PERHAPS YOU RECOGNIZE
SOME OF OUR SPECIMENS...

PEAS, LIVER...

PRUNE JUICE, BRAN CEREAL,

AND OF COURSE, THE HEAD OF
THE CLASS, THE CABBAGE.

UNBEKNOWNST TO MOST,

THIS FAMED FORAGE OF THE
UNFORTUNATE WAS FRAMED,

NOT ONLY BY MALICIOUS,
WELL-MEANING PARENTS,



BUT BY MILLENNIA
OF POSITIVE PRESS.

IN HIS 479 B.C. BLOCKBUSTER
KNOWN TODAY AS THE I CHING,

CONFUCIUS WENT ON FOR PAGES

ABOUT THE HEALTH
BENEFITS OF CABBAGE.

LATER, DURING THE
GOLDEN AGE OF ROME,

ORATOR AND POET CATO THE
ELDER CREDITS HIS 28 SONS

TO A HIGH-CABBAGE DIET.

ROMANS ALSO HOLD THAT
CABBAGE-MUNCHING ALLOWS ONE

TO IMBIBE UNLIMITED
VOLUMES OF ALCOHOL

WITHOUT SUFFERING INTOXICATION.

WHETHER CATO SUBSCRIBES TO THIS
OR NOT, WE CAN ONLY GUESS.

1558... FLEMISH REFUGEES
FLEEING RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

AT THE HANDS OF
THE KING OF SPAIN

BRING CABBAGE TO
THE SHORES OF ENGLAND,



A COUNTRY LATER ACCUSED OF
HAVING BUT THREE VEGETABLES,

TWO OF WHICH ARE CABBAGE.

1769... 40 OF CAPTAIN
COOK'S CREW ARE INJURED

BY STORM UPON THE "COURAGEOUS."

THE SHIP'S SURGEON DRESSES THE
MANY WOUNDS WITH CABBAGE LEAVES,

THUS STAVING OFF GANGRENE.

THE FACT THAT CABBAGE
PREVENTED MANY AMERICANS

FROM SUCCUMBING TO STARVATION
DURING THE GREAT DEPRESSION

MAY BE ONE REASON
CABBAGE CONSUMPTION

HAS NEVER FARED WELL
IN THIS COUNTRY.

AFTER ALL, WHO WANTS TO BE
REMINDED OF HARD TIMES?

BUT IS IT REALLY FAIR
FOR US TO BLAME CABBAGE

FOR BEING CHEAP AND NUTRITIOUS?

PERHAPS IT'S HIGH TIME WE GOT
AHEAD AND GOT TO THE CORE

OF WHAT CABBAGE IS ALL ABOUT.

WE MIGHT, AFTER ALL, PERHAPS...

FIND GOOD EATS.

ABOUT HALF OF THE VEGETABLES
BOUGHT AND SOLD IN THIS COUNTRY

ARE TECHNICALLY CABBAGE.

NOW, HOW CAN THAT BE?
HEY, WHAT DO I LOOK LIKE,

A NUTRITIONAL
ANTHROPOL....
A NUTRITIONAL
ANTHROPOLOGIST?

IN YOUR DREAMS!
HOW DO YOU DO THIS?

STUDY, WRITE PAPERS,
GO TO CONFERENCES...
WHATDYA MEAN?

NOT EXACTLY WHAT
I MEANT.

BUT WHILE YOU'RE HERE,
TELL US ABOUT CABBAGE.
OKAY.

CABBAGE BEGAN AS
AN INDIGENOUS WEED

THAT GROWS ALL OVER
THE ROCKY COASTLINES
OF EUROPE AND ASIA.

AND ANCIENT PEOPLE
USED TO COLLECT IT--
THE SEEDS, AT LEAST--

AND THEY'D
CULTIVATE IT.

WHEN THEY GOT AN
ESPECIALLY LARGE
SPECIMEN,

THEY WOULD SAVE THE
SEEDS AND REPLANT THEM,

AND AFTER A COUPLE
OF CENTURIES, THEY
HAD KALE.
OKAY.

BUT I BET IT DIDN'T
STOP THERE, DID IT?
NO!

THE SAME PROCESS
WAS HAPPENING ALL
OVER EUROPE AND ASIA,

AND DIFFERENT PEOPLE
WERE COAXING DIFFERENT
CHARACTERISTICS

OUT OF THE SAME
GENE POOL.

SO, FOR INSTANCE,
GERMANIC PEOPLES
REALLY LIKED

THE THICK FLESHY STEM,
HENCE KOHLRABI.
OH--CABBAGE.

CABBAGE.
OKAY.

IN SOUTHERN EUROPE,
THEY WERE FINDING
THAT THEY COULD DEVELOP

TENSE, DENSE LITTLE
CLUSTERS OF LEAVES.

AND THEY CALLED IT
CABOCHE.
OH, CABOCHE, THAT'S
OLD FRENCH FOR "HEAD."

RIGHT, AND THAT'S
THE DERIVATION OF
THE WORD CABBAGE.
OKAY, WHAT ABOUT
THESE OTHER GUYS?

SAME THING WAS
HAPPENING IN ASIA--
SAVOY CABBAGE,

BOK CHOY, NAPA...

THEY'RE ALL JUST
DENSE CLUSTERS
OF LEAVES.
OKAY... DID IT
STOP THERE?

NO!
WHEN YOU GO TO ITALY...

YOU KNOW HOW INNOVATIVE
THE ITALIANS ARE--

THEY LIKE THINGS
REAL PRETTY AND
EVERYTHING--

WELL, THEY LIKE THESE
CABBAGES THAT HAVE A
LOT OF FLOWERS ON 'EM,

LITTLE TINY FLOWERS,
AND SO THEY RESULTED

IN CAULIFLOWER, AND
LATER ON, BROCCOLI.
OKAY, SO YOU'RE
GONNA TELL ME

THAT CAULIFLOWER AND
BROCCOLI ARE CABBAGE,
CABBAGE!

INVENTED BY THE
ITALIANS.
'FRAID SO.

GREAT, I SUPPOSE
THAT NEXT YOU'RE
GONNA TELL ME

THAT THESE LITTLE
GUYS CAME FROM...
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM.

BRUSSELS...
BELGIUM... OKAY.

SO... HOW DO YA
LIKE 'EM?
ANYTHING BUT
BRUSSELS SPROUTS.

YOU DON'T LIKE THE
BRUSSELS SPROUTS?

AH, YOU DON'T KNOW
WHAT YOU'RE MISSIN'.

A FEW RULES FOR
HAPPY HEADHUNTING...

LOOK FOR TIGHT, DENSE HEADS
THAT ARE HEAVY FOR THEIR SIZE

AND BRIGHT GREEN.

THE CUT SHOULD BE MOIST
AND BRIGHT AS WELL,
ALTHOUGH NOT GREEN.

ANY WILTING OR YELLOW SPOTS

SIGNAL ADVANCED AGE
OR ROUGH HANDLING,

EITHER OF WHICH WILL RESULT
IN NUTRIENT LOSS.

NOW, WHY YELLOW?

GREEN VEGETABLES CONTAIN
TWO TYPES OF CHLOROPHYLL...

CHLOROPHYLL A, WHICH IS
BRIGHT BLUE-GREEN,

AND CHLOROPHYLL B, WHICH
IS BRIGHT YELLOW-GREEN.

TOGETHER THEY BALANCE TO FORM
A GREEN VEGETABLE'S COLOR,

THE WAY THAT RED, BLUE
AND GREEN GO TOGETHER

TO MAKE A TV PICTURE.

NOW IF THE TWO ARE IN BALANCE,

THE CABBAGE LOOKS
HEALTHY AND NORMAL,

KIND OF LIKE...
WELL, THIS!

BUT CHLOROPHYLL A IS FRAGILE,

AND IF IT GETS TOO WARM,
IT BREAKS DOWN AND FADES.

THAT LEAVES CHLOROPHYLL B ALL
ON ITS OWN--THUS YELLOW SPOTS.

SAME THING HAPPENS DURING
COOKING, BUT MORE ON THAT LATER.

NOW YOUR GROCER MAY HAVE PLACED
A TRASH CAN BY THE CABBAGE BIN

SO THAT YOU CAN LEAVE
YOUR OUTER LEAVES BEHIND.

WE SAY SPEND A HALF A CENT
EXTRA, AND KEEP 'EM.

'COURSE, THE WHOLE HEAD IS
DARN GOOD FOR YOU,

BUT THESE OUTER, DARKER
LEAVES CONTAIN

ESPECIALLY HIGH
CONCENTRATIONS OF...

VITAMINS A, B, C,
POTASSIUM, FOLATE,

CANCER-HATING
PHYTOCHEMICALS,
ENDOLS, PHENOLS,

THERE'S LOADS OF
FIBER, AND OF COURSE,
SULFORAPHANES,

THE STUFF THAT SAVED
CAPTAIN COOK'S CREW.

THAT IT?
NO, BUT THAT'S
ENOUGH.

HEY, DIDN'T WE
TALK ABOUT THIS?

WELL, A FRIEND...
UM... I...

(sighs)
EVEN IF YOU DON'T EAT THESE,

THESE OUTER LEAVES
WILL SAVE YOU,

OR AT LEAST YOUR HEAD,
FROM DRYING OUT.

KEPT INTACT AND STORED
IN THE CRISPER DRAWER

OF A 34- TO 38-DEGREE
REFRIGERATOR,

THIS THING WILL KEEP FRESH FOR
AN AMAZING FOUR TO SIX WEEKS.

BUT ONCE YOU CUT IT,
EVEN IF YOU WRAP IT,

YOU'VE ONLY GOT A COUPLE
OF DAYS TO SPARE.

COME BACK WITH THAT PIE!
I'M SERIOUS, I'M NOT GONNA...

HERE ARE TWO VERSIONS OF A
ZEN-SIMPLE CABBAGE APPLICATION

MY MOM INVENTED, CALLED SHRED,
HEAD, BUTTER AND BREAD.

NOW THE LINE DIVIDING
THIS VERSION,

WHICH LOOKS, TASTES AND
SMELLS JUST LIKE AN ARMY SOCK,

AND THIS VERSION, WHICH IS LIGHT
AND BRIGHT, SWEET AND DELICIOUS,

IS VERY, VERY THIN AND
PERILOUSLY EASY TO CROSS.

IN FACT, THE ONLY WAY
TO AVOID HAVING THIS HAPPEN

IS TO KNOW A LITTLE
SOMETHING ABOUT THIS.

NOW JUST BEAR WITH ME...
LET'S SAY, FOR A MOMENT,

THAT THIS IS A GREATLY MAGNIFIED
CROSS-SECTION CUTAWAY

OF A VEGETABLE LEAF.

YES, BUBBLE WRAP AGAIN.

NOW LET'S LOOK INSIDE...
YOU'LL SEE CELLS,

LOTS OF LAYERS OF CELLS,
DOING DIFFERENT JOBS--

MAYBE PHOTOSYNTHESIS HERE,
MAYBE METABOLISM DOWN HERE,

REPRODUCTION OVER HERE.

AND IN BETWEEN ALL OF THESE CELL
LAYERS YOU'VE GOT MEMBRANES,

WHICH ARE KEEPING
THINGS PROTECTED,

KEEPING ONE CHEMICAL AWAY
FROM ANOTHER CHEMICAL,

KEEPING EVERYTHING
FULL OF LIQUID.

THIS IS A VERY SAFE,
ORDERED WORLD.

THERE'S EVEN A SUBSTANCE
LIKE CEMENT

IN BETWEEN ALL OF THESE CELLS,
WHICH HOLDS EVERYTHING TOGETHER.

THEN ALONG COMES YOU, THE COOK,

AND YOU BRING WITH YOU HEAT,

AND THAT ALWAYS LOOKS

LIKE THIS...

AS MEMBRANES BURST,
PECTIC SUBSTANCES GEL,

ENZYMES ARE UNLEASHED,
PIGMENTS FADE.

A FEW MINUTES LATER,
HYDROGEN SULFIDE IS RELEASED,

FILLING YOUR KITCHEN WITH
THAT ROTTEN-EGG SMELL.

NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT IT,

WE'RE TALKIN' ABOUT
WIDESPREAD DESTRUCTION--

NO MATTER HOW YOU COOK IT,

NO MATTER HOW GENTLY
YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING IT.

THE SECRET, OF COURSE,
IS TO CONTROL THE CHAOS,

AND THAT MEANS DECIDING
WHAT GETS DESTROYED

AND WHEN IT GETS DESTROYED.

BUT ENOUGH TALK... WE COOK.

ON THIS SIDE OF THE KITCHEN,
FILL YOUR BIGGEST POT

THREE-QUARTERS FULL OF WATER AND
PUT IT ON HIGH HEAT TO BOIL.

THEN, IN YOUR BIG SKILLET,

MELT HALF A STICK OF BUTTER

AND ADD HALF A CUP OF
PULVERIZED, SEASONED CROUTONS.

YEAH, I KNOW,
I SAID ON "SALAD DAYS"

THAT I DIDN'T USE
PACKAGED CROUTONS.

WELL, I DON'T...
NOT AS CROUTONS, AT LEAST.

BUT HEY, WHEN YOU SMASH 'EM
INTO LITTLE BITS,

THEY'RE GOOD FOR
ALL SORTS OF THINGS.

TO THAT, ADD A COUPLE OF
BIG PINCHES OF DRY MUSTARD

AND A TEASPOON OF CARAWAY SEEDS.

JUST STIR IT OVER MEDIUM HEAT
UNTIL THE BUTTER TURNS BROWN

AND THE KITCHEN STARTS
TO SMELL KIND OF LIKE NUTS.

YOU GET THERE, YOU'RE DONE.

TAKE IT OFF THE HEAT,
BUT LEAVE IT IN THE PAN,

'CAUSE WE'RE GONNA
COME BACK TO THAT LATER.

NOW, ON THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE KITCHEN...

YOU KNOW, WHILE
WE'RE ON THE SUBJECT,

I'VE SEEN A LOT OF
GOOD EDGES GO BAD,

ALL BECAUSE THEY HOOKED UP
WITH THE WRONG CUTTIN' BOARD.

IT'S ENOUGH TO GIVE
A FELLOW THE BLUES.

HI... WELCOME TO ANOTHER EPISODE

OF "THIS OLD--NEW--
CUTTING BOARD."

YOU KNOW, WHEN IT COMES
TO WOODEN CUTTING BOARDS,

THERE ARE BASICALLY TWO
DIFFERENT DESIGNS.

BUTCHER BLOCK BOARDS ARE MADE UP
OF DOZENS OR EVEN HUNDREDS

OF PIECES OF WOOD,
CUT ACROSS THE GRAIN

AND THEN GLUED TOGETHER.

THEY'RE TOUGH, HEAVY
AND EXPENSIVE.

IN FACT, LARGER VERSIONS ARE
OFTEN TURNED INTO FURNITURE.

NOW MORE COMMON EDGE-GRAINED
BOARDS AREN'T QUITE AS TOUGH,

AND THIN SPECIMENS TEND
TOWARDS WARPING.

BUT THEY ARE LIGHTER AND
A WHOLE LOT CHEAPER

THAN THE BIGGER BUTCHER BLOCKS.

NOW EITHER WAY YOU DECIDE
TO GO, LOOK FOR A BOARD

THAT'S MADE FROM A
KILN-DRIED MAPLE, OKAY?

AND MAKE SURE THAT IT'S BIG,

BUT NOT TOO BIG TO STAND
ON END IN THE SINK...

AFTER ALL, IF YOU CAN'T
GET IT INTO THE SINK,

YOU CAN'T WASH IT,
AND THAT'S NOT GOOD.

NOW THIS BOARD'S
NOT GONNA BE CHEAP,

BUT IF YOU TAKE GOOD CARE
OF IT, YOUR GRANDCHILDREN
WILL FIGHT OVER IT,

AND THAT'S A HAPPY THOUGHT.

NOW DESPITE THE IFFY PRESS,
I USE WOODEN BOARDS A LOT,

BUT ONLY FOR FOODS THAT ARE
SAFELY CONSUMED RAW.

THAT MEANS NO RAW MEAT.

FOR THAT, THERE'S PLASTIC.

SINCE THEY ARE NONPOROUS

AND KIND OF ON
THE SLIPPERY SIDE,

PLASTIC BOARDS ARE
INHOSPITABLE TO BACTERIA

AND A HECK OF A LOT EASIER
TO WASH AND SANITIZE

THAN EVEN THE BEST
WOODEN BOARDS.

NOW I'VE GOT ONE
JUST FOR RAW MEAT.

I CUT POULTRY ON ONE SIDE AND
MEAT AND FISH ON THE OTHER.

THE ONLY DOWNSIDE
ABOUT PLASTIC BOARDS

IS THAT ONCE THEY'RE WORN
AND SCRATCHED,

THEY'RE PRETTY MUCH DONE
FOR, BECAUSE ALL THE
SCRUBBING IN THE WORLD

IS NOT GOING TO GET ALL THOSE
LITTLE BITS OF BACTERIA CHOW

OUT OF THE CRACKS.

WHEN WOOD GETS SCRATCHED, YOU
JUST SAND IT WITH THE GRAIN,

WASH IT, THEN RUB IT DOWN
WITH A FOOD-GRADE MINERAL OIL

AVAILABLE AT YOUR
NEIGHBORHOOD PHARMACY.

DO NOT USE ANY OTHER
KIND OF OIL.

FOOD OILS JUST GO RANCID,

AND FURNITURE MINERAL OILS
WILL PUT YOU IN THE ER.

NOW I DISINFECT MY BOARDS
FROM TIME TO TIME--

BOTH THE PLASTIC
AND WOOD BOARDS--

WITH A WHITE-VINEGAR RUBDOWN
FOLLOWED BY A RINSE AND AIR DRY.

NOW PLASTIC BOARDS CAN BE
SANITIZED IN THE WASHER,

BUT NEVER--REPEAT, NEVER--
PUT A WOODEN BOARD

IN THE WASHING MACHINE.

FINALLY, SHREDDIN' TIME'S HERE.

NOW WHEN WE LAST VISITED
OUR CLEANLY CLOVEN HEAD,

WE WERE GETTING READY
TO CUT IT INTO QUARTERS.

THE REASON FOR THAT IS THAT
WE WANT TO GET IT DIVIDED

SO THAT THERE'S
A PIECE OF THIS CORE

IN EACH PIECE OF THE CABBAGE.

NOW AS LONG AS THAT IS
THERE, WE CANNOT SHRED,

SO WE WANNA JUST SLIDE RIGHT
DOWN AND CLIP THAT OUT.

NOW ALL OF THOSE LEAVES
ARE TECHNICALLY SEPARATED.

SO LAY IT LIKE THIS, WITH
ONE OF THE CURVED SIDES AWAY,

AND SLICE--DON'T CHOP--
STRAIGHT DOWN.

YOU DON'T WANT THAT
FIRST PIECE, 'CAUSE THAT
DOESN'T QUALIFY AS SHRED.

FEED THAT TO THE RABBIT.

THEN COME IN AND JUST USE
YOUR FINGERS AS A GUIDE

AND SLICE THE CABBAGE
INTO STRIPS.

I LIKE TO USE A BIG
KNIFE FOR THIS

BECAUSE I GET BETTER
SLICING ACTION.

WHAT YOU DON'T WANT TO DO IS
YOU DO NOT WANT TO USE

A HIGH-CARBON STEEL KNIFE,
BLACK-STEEL KNIFE,

'CAUSE IT WILL STAIN
THE CABBAGE.

NOW FOR A LITTLE DAINTY HEAD,
LIKE THIS, THIS IS PRETTY EASY.

BUT IF YOU'VE GOT A REALLY BIG,
KINDA HONKIN' BOWLING-BALL HEAD,

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PEEL OFF
THE TOP LAYER OF LEAVES,

WHICH IS USUALLY FLAT,
LAY IT OUT, SHRED IT,

THEN GO FOR THAT INNER,
TIGHTER BALL AND SHRED IT.

IT'LL TAKE A LITTLE LONGER,
BUT YOU'LL GET THROUGH IT.

AS FOR THIS DISH,
I REALLY DO PREFER TO USE

SMALLER, TENDER HEADS,

NOT BECAUSE THEY'RE
EASIER TO CUT, BUT
BECAUSE THEY'RE SWEETER.

HOUSTON, WE HAVE BOIL.

NOW BEFORE THIS GOES
IN THE WATER,

ADD A TABLESPOON OF SALT--

I LIKE KOSHER, BUT IT
DOESN'T REALLY MATTER--

AND A TABLESPOON OF SUGAR.

AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY
IN A MINUTE.

ONCE THAT HAS DISSOLVED,

GO WITH THE CABBAGE.

YOU'LL NOTICE ALMOST AS SOON
AS IT HITS THE WATER

THE COLOR IS GOING TO CHANGE--
IT'S GONNA GET BRIGHTER.

THAT IS BECAUSE THE GAS THAT
USED TO BE TRAPPED IN THE CELLS

IS BEING RELEASED,

AND WITH THAT OUT OF THE WAY,
YOU ACTUALLY GET TO SEE

WHAT THE CHLOROPHYLL
REALLY LOOKS LIKE.

NOW SET YOUR TIMER
FOR TWO MINUTES.

NOW WHAT ELSE IS GOIN'
ON IN HERE?

WELL, ABOUT FIVE
MINUTES FROM NOW,

ACID IS GONNA START INVADING
THE CHLOROPHYLL MOLECULES,

TURNING THIS BRIGHT
SHADE OF GREEN...

WELL, TO KIND OF DINGY GRAY.

AND SULFUR IS GONNA
START LEAKIN' OUT

AND START STINKIN' UP
THE KITCHEN.

BUT, YOU CAN'T HAVE CLEAN
AIR AND HAVE YOUR GREEN

AND EAT IT TOO.

YOU JUST HAVE TO DO TWO THINGS--
YOU'VE GOT TO COOK VERY FAST,

AND YOU'VE GOTTA COOK
IN LOTS OF WATER.

THE HIGH VOLUME OF WATER'S GOING
TO KIND OF DESATURATE THE ACID--

DILUTE IT--AND THE OPEN POT'S
GONNA ALLOW IT TO EVAPORATE.

NOW THE SUGAR IS GONNA HELP
PRESERVE THE CELLS, PLANT CELLS.

THAT'S GONNA KEEP
THE CABBAGE CRUNCHY.

AND THE SALT... WELL, BESIDES
ADDING SEASONING, WHICH IT DOES,

IT'S GONNA SLIGHTLY ELEVATE
THE BOILING TEMPERATURE
OF THE WATER.

THAT MEANS FASTER COOKING,
AND WHEN IT COMES TO CABBAGE,

SPEED IS GOOD.

THERE ARE SOME OLD COOKBOOKS
THAT SUGGEST

THAT YOU CAN THROW
A PENNEY IN THE POT

OR YOU CAN TOSS IN A COUPLE OF
SPOONFULS OF JUST BAKING SODA

TO ENHANCE THE GREEN.

AND IT'S TRUE--SODA AND
COPPER DO ENHANCE THE PIGMENT.

BUT FOR ONE THING,
THIS IS TOXIC,

AND SODA BASICALLY TURNS
VEGETABLES TO MUSH.

(beep-beep, beep-beep)
TWO MINUTES OF TV TIME
HAVE GONE BY...

TIME TO DRAIN.

NOW YOU COULD DRAIN THIS
DIRECTLY INTO A COLANDER,

BUT I LIKE TO USE THE BASKET
FROM MY SALAD SPINNER--

PLEASE STAND BACK
AND AWAY FROM THE STEAM...

THERE--BECAUSE SPINNING IS
ALWAYS, ALWAYS FASTER

THAN STRAIGHT DRAINING.

INTO THE STRAINER, LID IT UP,

AND GIVE IT THREE,
FOUR GOOD SPINS.

REMEMBER, THE DRIER
THE CABBAGE IS,

THE BETTER THE BUTTER
DRESSING WILL STICK TO IT.

THERE WE GO...
PERFECT.

NOW JUST TOSS THIS
RIGHT INTO THE DRESSING.

AND TOSS IT WITH YOUR TONGS.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THESE, RIGHT?

THERE WE GO... JUST TOSS
UNTIL EVERYTHING IS COATED

WITH THE CARAWAY AND
THE DRESSING.

NOW ONCE AGAIN,

YOU SEE THAT BASIC,
STRAIGHTFORWARD SCIENCE

HAS PRODUCED SOME BASIC,
STRAIGHTFORWARD GOOD EATS.

AND THE BEST PART OF ALL

IS THAT WE DIDN'T EVEN NEED
ONE OF THESE!

NOW GRANTED, NOT ALL CABBAGE
DISHES ARE BUILT FOR SPEED,

AND NOT ALL CABBAGE IS GREEN.

BRAISED CABBAGE AND APPLES...

IT'S A CLASSIC, RIGHT?
BECAUSE IT'S DELICIOUS.

THE PROBLEM IS, ALL TOO OFTEN
THE CABBAGE COMES OUT OF THE PAN

LOOKING LIKE A WET ARMY JEEP.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS...

RED CABBAGE.

YOU SEE, UNLIKE THE CHLOROPHYLL
IN GREEN CABBAGE,

RED CABBAGE LOVES
AN ACIDIC ENVIRONMENT.

THE REASON...

KNOWING HOW TO MANIPULATE
THE PIGMENT IN RED
CABBAGE, ANTHOCYANINS,

IS THE SECRET BEHIND THE OLD
RED WINE/WHITE WINE BAR TRICK.

FIRST, BET A FRIEND THAT
YOU CAN CHANGE THEIR
MERLOT INTO CHARDONNAY,

USING ONLY THE POWER
OF YOUR BRAIN.

ONCE THEY'VE LAID DOWN
THEIR JACKSON,

MISDIRECT THEIR ATTENTION
MOMENTARILY,

ADD A FEW DROPS OF AMMONIA,
WHICH IS A POWERFUL ALKALINE,

AND THEN VOILà...
RED HAS BECOME WHITE.

TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN.

THE OTHER THING THAT I REALLY
LIKE ABOUT RED CABBAGE IS THAT

IT IS... WELL, AS THE GUYS IN
THE TALL WHITE HATS LIKE TO SAY,

BULLETPROOF.

IT MEANS THAT IT CAN STAND UP
TO A LONG COOKING PROCESS,

WHICH BRAISING IS.

NOW IT ALL STARTS WITH A BIG
SAUTé PAN OVER MEDIUM HEAT.

ADD A COUPLE OF TABLESPOONS
OF CANOLA OIL

AND SWIRL IT AROUND, AND FOLLOW
IT WITH ONE GRANNY SMITH APPLE--

CUBED, PEELED... THE WORKS.

AND THE WHOLE POINT HERE

IS TO JUST GET A LITTLE BIT
OF BROWN ON THE APPLES.

NOW APPLES ARE DELICIOUS, YEAH,

BUT THEIR ACIDITY IS
WHAT'S IMPORTANT HERE,

BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA KEEP
THE FINAL DISH RED, NOT BLUE.

AS SOON AS THEY TAKE A
LITTLE BIT OF BROWN ON THEM,

WE'RE GONNA ADD EVEN MORE ACID

IN THE FORM OF A PINT OF
UNFILTERED APPLE JUICE.

JUST POUR IT IN CAREFULLY--DON'T
LET THAT HOT FAT JUMP UP ON YA.

AND TO THAT--YOU CAN GO HEAD AND
TURN THE HEAT UP ALL THE WAY--

HIT IT WITH A QUARTER
TEASPOON OF CARAWAY SEEDS,

ABOUT A TEASPOON AND A HALF
OF KOSHER SALT,

A FEW GRINDS OF BLACK PEPPER,

AND OF COURSE, THE CABBAGE--
I LOVE THIS PART.

THERE.

NOW GIVE IT A SHAKE, JUST
TO GET EVERYTHING COATED,

TURN THE HEAT DOWN TO LOW,

AND SET YOUR TIMER
FOR 20 MINUTES.

NOW CARAWAY IS NOT REFERRED
TO AS "THE CABBAGE HERB"

SIMPLY BECAUSE IT TASTES GREAT.

THERE ARE MEDICINAL
ISSUES AS WELL.

THESE ANCIENT COUSINS
OF ANISE AND CUMIN

ARE ACTUALLY DRIED FRUITS,
NOT JUST SEEDS,

AND THEY'RE SAID TO
POSSESS MANY POWERS,

NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS
THE ABILITY TO LIMIT

CABBAGE'S PRODUCTION
OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE.

AND THAT KEEPS YOUR HOUSE FROM
STINKING LIKE A ROTTEN EGG.

NOW THE VERY BEST CARAWAY
COMES FROM HOLLAND.

BUY IT WHOLE AND USE IT
WITHIN ABOUT SIX MONTHS,

OR GRIND IT FRESH.

DURING SHAKESPEARE TIME, THEY
ACTUALLY DIPPED APPLES IN IT.

THAT'S PRETTY GOOD!

(beep-beep, beep-beep)

TWENTY MINUTES--OF TV TIME--
HAVE GONE BY,

AND OUR CABBAGE...

WELL, LOOK AT THAT--IT'S JUST
TENDER, BUT NOT ALL GOOSHY.

IF YOU LIKE IT GOOSHY, YOU
COULD GO ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES.

NOW ALL I SMELL
(sniffing)

ARE APPLES AND CARAWAY,

NOTHING THAT EVEN FAINTLY
REMINDS ME OF A PAPER PLANT.

AS FOR THE PIGMENT,
IT HAS PERSEVERED.

OF COURSE, IF YOU WANT
TO GIVE IT JUST A BOOST,

GIVE IT A LITTLE EXTRA
ACID--LEMON JUICE--

RIGHT BEFORE SERVING.

OH, AND I USUALLY CUT THE ACID

WITH JUST A PAT OF BUTTER.

DUE TO ITS CHAMELEON-
LIKE CHARACTER,

CABBAGE TRADITIONALLY FINDS
ITSELF PLAYING SECOND FIDDLE

TO A HOST OF MORE
TRADITIONAL ENTRéES.

BUT AROUND HERE, WE BELIEVE
THAT CABBAGE IS WORTHY

OF LEADING-DISH STATUS.

JUSTICE IS SWEET,
EVEN WHEN SHE'S SLOW.

WE HOPE WE'VE OPENED
YOUR MIND AND APPETITE

TO THE DELICIOUS
POSSIBILITIES OF CABBAGE.

AFTER ALL, WE MADE IT... THE
LEAST THING WE CAN DO IS EAT IT.

BESIDES, THERE ARE MORE
DESERVING CANDIDATES FOR INFAMY.

THAT, OF COURSE,
IS ANOTHER EPISODE

OF "THE FOOD GALLERY."

Captioning provided by
Scripps Network, Inc.

Captioned by Closed Captioning
Services Inc, Grand Rapids, MI.

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