Why is the cabbage boiled in two rounds?

The cabbage is first brought quickly to a boil in boiling salted water with a little baking soda added for 8 minutes. Then the water is poured off, and the cabbage is boiled further in fresh boiling water without a lid until tender. This gives a milder flavor and less cabbage smell.

What is the sauce made of?

A white roux sauce: 40 g butter and 40 g wheat flour are stirred together and thinned with 2 dl cabbage water and 2½ dl cream or milk. It simmers for 5 minutes before the cut-up cabbage is added, and is seasoned with salt and pepper.

How is the head of cabbage prepared?

All the outer green leaves are cut away, as much of the stalk as possible is removed, and the head is cut into four pieces along the core. The cabbage is washed well in cold water and set in a colander to drain. After boiling, all the water is pressed out in a colander.

Creamed Cabbage (choux à la crème)

Name: Creamed Cabbage (choux à la crème)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Norwegian
Ingredients: 1 pcs small head of white cabbage (about 800 g); 3.5 l water (for boiling); 1 tbsp salt (in the cooking water); 0.5 tsp baking soda (in the first cooking water); 40 g butter; 40 g wheat flour; 2 dl cabbage stock (the cooking water from the cabbage); 2.5 dl cream or milk; salt (to taste); pepper (to taste)

Creamed cabbage (choux à la crème) from Erken 1914: a head of cabbage is quartered, pre-boiled 8 minutes in salted water with baking soda, boiled tender in fresh water, pressed dry, and combined into a white sauce of 40 g butter, 40 g flour, 2 dl cabbage stock, and 2.5 dl cream. Served with salted and roasted meat.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 387 (falt i det fri)

Be the first to rate

About the dish

Creamed cabbage was a steady companion to salted and roasted meat in Norwegian households. Erken boils the cabbage in two waters — the first with a little baking soda — to soften the cabbage flavor and preserve the color.

How to make it

1
Clean the cabbage
Cut away all the outer green leaves and as much of the stalk as possible. Cut the head of cabbage into quarters lengthwise through the core, wash it well in cold water, and let it drain in a colander.
2
First boiling
Put the cabbage into boiling salted water with a little baking soda added. Bring quickly back to a boil and boil for 8 minutes.
3
Second boiling
Pour off the water and transfer the cabbage to fresh boiling water. Boil without a lid until the cabbage is tender. Put the cabbage in a colander and press out all the water. Save a little of the cooking water.
4
Make the stew
Stir butter and flour together, thin with the cabbage stock and the cream, and let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes.
5
Combine and serve
Cut the cabbage into smaller pieces, put it into the sauce, bring to a boil, and season with salt and pepper. Served with salted and roasted meat.

Changes from the original

Measures are converted to modern units (deciliters), baking soda is given in teaspoons, and the method is divided into numbered steps.

In stores now

Clean, minimally processed groceries matched to the ingredients — approximate prices.

Product data and prices via Kassalapp. Prices are updated daily and may vary.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

From1914 1949 Modernised

To1914 1949 Modernised

1949 (proofread, p. 425) → Modernised~89% of the text changedremovedadded

1 ~~kålhode 3½ l.~~ stk lite hvitkålhode (ca. 800 g). 3,5 l vann (til koking). 1 ~~spiseskje~~ ss salt (i kokevannet). 0,5 ts natron (i første kokevann). 40 ~~gr. smør~~ g smør. 40 ~~gr. hvetemel~~ g hvetemel. 2 ~~del. kålvann 2½ del.~~ dl kålkraft (kokevannet fra kålen). 2,5 dl fløte eller ~~melk~~ melk. salt ~~pepper. Alle ytre,~~ (etter smak). pepper (etter smak). Skjær bort alle ytre grønne ~~blade skjæres bort, skjær~~ blad og så ~~meget~~ mye av stilken som ~~mulig, og del~~ mulig. Del kålhodet op i fire ~~deler~~ på langs ~~med stokken. Vaskes~~ gjennom stokken, vask godt i ~~koldt vann, legges op~~ kaldt vann og la det renne av i sil.. Legg kålen i kokende, saltet vann tilsatt litt natron. La det koke raskt opp og koke i 8 minutter.. Hell av vannet og legg kålen over i nytt kokende vann. Kok uten lokk til kålen er mør. Legg kålen i dørslag og press ut alt vannet. Ta vare på ~~sikt.~~ litt av kokevannet.. Rør smør og mel sammen, spe med kålkraften og fløten, og la sausen småkoke i 5 minutter.. Skjær kålen i mindre stykker, legg den i sausen, gi det et oppkok og smak til med salt og pepper. Serveres til salt og stekt kjøtt.

Note on Modernised

Mål er omregnet til moderne enheter (desiliter), natron er angitt i teskje, og fremgangsmåten er delt i nummererte trinn.

Community interpretations

Be the first to share your own version.

See interpretations →

Frequently asked questions

Why is the cabbage boiled in two rounds?: The cabbage is first brought quickly to a boil in boiling salted water with a little baking soda added for 8 minutes. Then the water is poured off, and the cabbage is boiled further in fresh boiling water without a lid until tender. This gives a milder flavor and less cabbage smell.
What is the sauce made of?: A white roux sauce: 40 g butter and 40 g wheat flour are stirred together and thinned with 2 dl cabbage water and 2½ dl cream or milk. It simmers for 5 minutes before the cut-up cabbage is added, and is seasoned with salt and pepper.
How is the head of cabbage prepared?: All the outer green leaves are cut away, as much of the stalk as possible is removed, and the head is cut into four pieces along the core. The cabbage is washed well in cold water and set in a colander to drain. After boiling, all the water is pressed out in a colander.

Related recipes

More dishes in the same category from the archive

Kommentarer

Ingen kommentarer ennå. Bli den første til å dele!