I remember an evening in Aachen, dining in our favourite restaurant and the waiter recommending for us to try the seasonal wild game. We agreed to taste a Bavarian dear, served with the most deliciously spiced red cabbage I have ever tried. Red cabbage with apples, together with mashed potatoes is often served as a side dish for sausages at home, but the thought has never occurred to me to cook it myself rather than buying it ready-made from the shop. Not until we tasted this delicious red cabbage in Germany, and I understood that we have been missing something of the exquisite flavours this dish should have.
And here I am, during the Christmas season, cooking my first ever spiced red cabbage with apples, and I can assure you, the kitchen already smells absolutely divine.
Ingredients
- 1 medium size hard red cabbage, cored and coarsely shredded
- 5 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 2 onions, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp red or white vinegar
- 4 tbsp redcurrent jelly
- 300ml water
- 1 bay leave
- 4 cloves
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 50g butter
Method
1. Melt the butter in a large casserole and add the finely chopped onions. Leave them to soften for 5 min.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients, mixing well and letting them simmer on medium heat for 2 – 2.30h until the cabbage has soften.
3. Mix occasionally, making sure that the cabbage never remains dry. Add additional water if required. Cabbage is ready when soft and glossy.
4. Serve immediately as a side dish for sausages, meat & potato dishes.
