Violetti: a cabbage that makes you look twice

Who's behind it

Timmerman-Bergen & Swager grow in Sint Pancras, just north of Alkmaar. The company was formed about twenty years ago when two families merged, and it runs year-round with around one hundred people. In North Holland they have 300 hectares of pointed cabbage, plus 35 hectares of little gem, romaine and pak choi. In Alpiarça, Portugal, they add 200 hectares of pointed cabbage and 250 hectares of butternut squash. That second location keeps supply going all year, so you get the same quality in February as in September. The company is GlobalGAP and PlanetProof certified and grows under Better for Nature & Farmer, using as little synthetic fertilizer as possible.

The Violetti

The Violetti is a regular pointed cabbage crossed with red cabbage. The color runs purple-red all the way to the heart and is brighter than red cabbage. It's softer and sweeter than white pointed cabbage, so it needs less blanching. When you stir-fry or grill it, it holds its color, so the purple stays in the cabbage. The variety comes from breeder Hazera and has been on German and Scandinavian shelves for years. In the Netherlands it's a newcomer. Alongside the Violetti they grow white pointed cabbage, Samantha savoy cabbage and red cabbage, so you can play with color and texture within one cabbage season.

In your kitchen

Shave the Violetti raw and thin on the mandoline for a purple salad base. A quick sauté keeps the color and the crunch. As a cabbage vinaigrette, pickled or charred, it goes well next to game or duck. The cabbage is at its best in spring and summer, grown close to home and available in the same quality all year. That short supply chain is worth naming on your menu.