Swamp Cabbage, Black Chicken Soup and Aroz Familia

Swamp Cabbage

Swamp Cabbage is a unique Florida Cracker/pioneer dish that was learned from the native Seminole. How they learned to peel, trim and boil up the 'boot' tips of the aptly named Cabbage Palm (Sabal palmetto) and make something edible, is one of the wonders of the culinary world. Sabal, or Cabbage Palm is the Florida state tree. They grow wild throughout the center of the state as an understory to pines and in open pastures and fringe areas.

We went to a fundraiser Swamp Cabbage Demonstration and lunch at the Alva Pioneer Museum in Alva, FL, just about 25 miles upriver from Fort Myers. Alva was platted in the late 1880s by Capt. Peter Nelson, one of the area's more interesting early Characters.

What a great event! The proceeds of the event go towards a remodel and enlargement of the old schoolhouse/museum and library. The demonstrator was Jim English, who's family first settled in the Alva area not long after the Civil War, even before Capt.Nelson bought the parcel which he eventually named Alva.

 Jim English slicing bits off of a Swamp cabbage  "head".

Swamp Cabbage preparation is a real family event among the descendants of those who settled this area.  We spoke at length with Darren Watkins, sixth generation resident of Alva, who was assisting the event behind the scenes by preparing the cabbage and making batches to serve the several hundred people who showed up to support the event.  

Darren explained that sabal fronds create semi-circular 'boots' which make up the diameter of the trunk, sort of like the overlapping 'leaves' of an artichoke. To make Swamp Cabbage, you start with several 5-6 ft tall trees which are cut down at ground level with a hand-saw or machete, and sectioned into 18-24" lengths after removing the outer 'bark' boots.  Inner boots are sliced lengthwise and separated from the main stem.  Then the tender lower ends of the boots are broken or sliced away to be cooked.

 

Here you see the semi-circular layers of frond  'boots' 

 

Swamp Cabbage 'heads' ready to be cut up.

 Darren's pot of cabbage cuttings ready to cook.

Don't live in the Land of the Cabbage Palm? You can buy Hearts of Palm in a can from most megamarts in the same section where you find canned artichokes and such.

Here's the English family recipe, well over a hundred years old:

1/2 lb smoked bacon for each 'head' of cabbage (grandmother added pork fat back as well)

1 stick butter per cabbage head

Salt & Pepper to taste

Render out the bacon in a frying pan. Cut up all the cabbage and put in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. When it comes to a boil add the salt, pepper, butter and bacon with its rendered drippings. Simmer until the cabbage is tender -- 15 minutes or so.

 

Ready to eat!

There are simpler and much more complicated recipes as well. You can also make Swamp Cabbage Fruit Salad, Swamp Cabbage Fritters, and other pioneer delectables.

We had Jim's Swamp Cabbage as a side dish accompanying pulled pork and grilled chicken. 

Yum! A taste of Olde Floriday! The taste is mild and bacon-y (of course) reminding you of a cross between artichoke and yucca root. The texture is smooth and defines that foodie word  'unctuous'. This is Good Stuff, even if it is time consuming to make.

Black Chicken Soup

No, the chicken didn't have black feathers. No, it was not a Silkie chicken with its blue-black meat and bones. My Black Chicken Soup is black because of the dark soy sauce and hoisin sauce which give this Asian-inspired soup it's dark broth and flavor.

2 Chicken Breasts

1 ea 12-15 oz bag Frozen Vegetables -- I used the Gumbo blend because we like that combination of veg

1 can Baby Corn

1 small can Bamboo Shoots

4 oz. Sugar Snap Peas

3/4 cup Jicama - peeled and cubed

1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper (it's what I had on hand)

4 oz sliced Crimini Mushrooms

1 cup dark Soy Sauce (I used the rich, mushroom soy that I use for my holiday turkey breast not the usual commercial brands)

1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce

1/2 cup Paul Newman tm Asian Ginger Sesame salad dressing

3 Tbsp Toasted Sesame oil

4-5 cups water

Sriracha Sauce (optional if you want to give the soup a kick)

Saute the chicken in the sesame oil first, with just a bit of black pepper. Remove the chicken from the pot and add the bagged and canned veggies along with a couple cups of water. While that starts to cook, peel, chop and trim the fresh veggies. Slice the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Now add the flavorants -- soy, hoisin, dressing -- to the pot along with the fresh veggies and chicken. Let everything simmer for 45 minutes or so to marry all those wonderful flavors. 

 

Aroz Familia (Cuban Family-style Rice)

Manuel is a really nice Cuban gentleman who works in the produce department of my local Publix megamart. He asked how last week's Ropa Vieja turned out, and I mentioned serving it with Aroz Amarillo. He then told me how his mother made rice for her family. Not the Aroz Amarillo we're familiar with. Something else. The process sounded so good I had to try it. Here's my interpretation of the dish.

2 "cups" Long Grain Rice -- I used two rice cooker measures, which aren't true cup measures. Get the 'extra long grain' if you can find it. Don't use short or medium grain.

1 "cup" Sofrito -- I used a rice cooker measure. Make your own from last week's post.

Put a tablespoon or two of EVOO in a hot skillet or grill pan and swirl it around. Add the rice and toast it for 5-10 minutes, shaking and stirring, until it gets nice and gold brown all over, but not black. 

Transfer the hot rice to the rice cooker pot, add the sofrito, and stir. Let it cook a couple minutes in the hot rice. Add the water up to the 2 mark in the pot, and cook the rice as usual. Fluff and serve. Esta muy bueno!

Kala Hummus

I created this for a recipe contest that called for you to make a gourmet "dip" for Game Day.  I probably haven't won anything, but it was fun to make, as I already had a batch of cooked Kala Chana in the fridge.

1 cup Kala Chana (Black Chickpeas)

2+ Tbsp Chhole Masala -- Indian spice blend used with chickpeas

1/2 cup Greek-style Yogurt

Cook the dried chickpeas and 1 Tbsp of the masala in 6 cups of water, low and slow so they absorb the liquid and plump up. When cooked, toss with the remaining Tbsp of masala, and more if desired.

When cooled, place chickpeas, yogurt and a half cup of water in a blender and puree until smooth. Use a spatula to scoop the hummus into a serving bowl. Surround with soft or toasted nan bread 'fingers' for dipping.

Next week -- Creole Omelets, Mojo Breakfast Burritos, and New England Baked Flounder.