Don't Ditch Outer Cabbage Leaves - Use Them To Make Soup Instead - Tasting Table

"Discarding the outer parts of a cabbage can feel like second nature. Into the trash they go as you're figuring out all the different ways to cook cabbage, unknowingly missing out on the potential for a heartwarming soup. All it takes to coax it out is a bit of simmering, a hearty broth, seasonings, and some patience. Just give them the same attention you give the inner layers, and you will be pleasantly surprised by the magic that's ladled into your bowl."

"More often than not, we only remove them because they appear bruised and blemished, not to mention the tough, fibrous texture and a significantly more pronounced bitterness. Unappealing as this may sound, you will hardly notice it once the leaves have spent enough time in the simmering pot. That's when they soften into a pliable chewiness, gently crunching under your teeth as they release a vegetal sweetness."

"An old-fashioned cabbage soup typically calls for a cabbage head diced into large chunks, but the leaves make a fine replacement in a pinch. This also works for other recipes, such as one filled with beans and lentils, or kapusniak - a Polish dish in which sauerkraut, potatoes, and sausages make for hearty spoonfuls. For those who know and love Japanese cuisine, the infamous cabbage hot pot mille-feuille nabe is an ideal pick."

Outer cabbage leaves are edible despite common removal due to bruises, blemishes, tough fibrous texture, and pronounced bitterness. Extended simmering softens the leaves into a pliable chewiness and reduces harshness while releasing a vegetal sweetness. The leaves retain a lingering bitterness that blends with a soup's warm undertone. Outer leaves can substitute diced cabbage in traditional cabbage soups and enhance recipes with beans, lentils, or kapusniak containing sauerkraut, potatoes, and sausage. They also work in Japanese mille-feuille nabe, layered with thinly sliced meat in an umami dashi broth. Using the leaves adds flavor and texture to many cabbage-based dishes.

Read at Tasting Table