Cabbage

Canning and preserving have long been an essential tactic of survival, and chowchow is a condiment born of both ingenuity and necessity. Here, green tomatoes not yet ripe enough to eat are transformed into a bright pickled expression of the first days of summer. It has been said that chowchow began as a collection of remnant produce that couldn’t be used in other dishes, so it became its own reclaimed relish. As you chop each vegetable, consider that origin: making the most from the least, creating abundance from scarcity. You can use four heatproof glass pint jars for this, though I prefer eight 8-ounce jars instead so I can share it around. Using pickling salt, such as Morton Canning & Pickling Salt, helps the liquid stay clear and keeps the cabbage from turning brown.

Since the crunchy apple and kohlrabi are so refreshing, it would make the perfect palate cleanser between heavier courses at dinner, but most often I eat it for a light lunch.

With its crinkly texture, savoy cabbage is our go-to for stuffed cabbage, but the regular ol’ green variety also works. Both will become meltingly tender.

In this recipe, creamy mashed potatoes get jazzed up with crispy bits of bacon and sharp cheddar cheese, then wrapped in Savoy cabbage leaves before roasting in the oven.

One bowl and one baking sheet is all you need to achieve sweet, creamy squash, crispy pita chips, and chewy, charred cheese. Fresh mint and a splash of vinegar perk up the final dish.

These savory Japanese pancakes are stuffed with shredded cabbage, red pepper, and your choice of meat or seafood. Top with crumbled seaweed, bonito flakes, and mayo for the full experience.

When roasted at high temperature, humble cabbage becomes sweet and incredibly satisfying. In this recipe, the cabbage ‘steaks’ are a base for crispy chickpeas, herby croutons, and a rich and lemony garlic sauce.

For this vegetarian dinner, we roast thick wedges of cabbage, carrots, and tofu in a spiced coconut milk sauce until they're wonderfully softened and caramelized.

Roasting the cabbage before it goes into this rich, cheesy gratin does double duty: it deepens the vegetable’s savory flavor and removes excess moisture from the creamy mixture.

If you make this slaw ahead, the vegetables will continue to soften as they sit and become more like pickles, which isn’t a bad thing at all.

Pile seared Halloumi cheese and a yogurt-dressed cabbage-and-chickpea salad over a swath of hummus for these satisfying vegetarian sandwiches.

This salad is crunchy, herby, cooling, and refreshing. To add some heat between bites, serve fresh green chiles for nibbling alongside.

You can use whatever cut of steak you’re in the mood for—or even a chicken cutlet or thin-cut pork chop here.

The secret to making these gingery sesame noodles super-satisfying: When sautéing the ground pork, don’t break it up too much—big, chunky pieces really make the final dish.

Not just for slaw, cabbage is a snappy base that can handle lots of refreshing acidity—in this case from torn grapefruit and hot-and-sour chiles—without withering.