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RHENISH RED CABBAGE
1 head red cabbage
2 tablespoons butter or goose fat
2 tart apples, cored and chopped coarsely (peel, if desired)
1/2 bay leaf
6 juniper berries
1 or 2 whole cloves (optional)
Salt to taste
2 teaspoons sugar or to taste
1 tablespoon champagne or red wine vinegar or to taste
Quarter and core the cabbage, then slice thinly as for coleslaw, wash and drain in a colander. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed large pan, add the cabbage and stir for a couple of minutes to coat with the fat, add the apples, bay leaf, juniper berries and cloves. Cover with a tight lid, decrease heat and simmer until the cabbage has softened, add salt, sugar and vinegar to taste and stir well. Increase heat to medium and cook, uncovered, until the apples are falling- apart soft. Serve immediately. Serves 6.
Alternate:
RED CABBAGE IN RED WINE and BALSAMIC
1 head red cabbage, about 3 pounds
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup minced onion
3/4 cup water
3/4 cup heavy red wine
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and coarsely grated or chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
Cut the cabbage in half and cut out the white core at the base. Place the cabbage, cut-side down and slice as thinly as possible. In a large, heavy-bottomed pan with a lid, melt the butter over medium heat. When it foams, add the onions and saute them until translucent, about 2 minutes.
Add the cabbage, stirring several times until it glistens. Add the water and cover the pan. Cook until the cabbage has become limp and reduced somewhat in volume, about 10 minutes. Add3/4 wine, vinegar, salt, pepper and grated apples. Cover again, reduce the heat to low and simmer (stir occasionally) until the cabbage has cooked down. (It should absorb most of the liquid, if it is tender and there is still too much liquid, take off the lid and increase the heat to remove it.
Taste, adjust salt and pepper to taste, stir in the red wine vinegar and honey and cook 3 minutes. Serves 6-8. |
