Braised Red Cabbage with Apple
My Mum does most of the Christmas cooking and this is the one job she hands over, which I suspect is because it can be made days ahead and she knows it. Braised red cabbage is better on the second day than the first, and better still on the third.
It looks like a ridiculous amount of cabbage when you start. A whole shredded head will fill your largest pan right to the brim and then collapse to about a third of that over the next hour, so add it in handfuls and do not panic about the volume.
The balance to watch is sweet against sharp. The vinegar and sugar go in together and should end up arguing rather than one of them winning, so taste it near the end and add a splash more of whichever is losing. The apple softens into the background and does most of the sweetening.
This makes enough for six alongside a roast, and it keeps for four days in the fridge or three months in the freezer. Reheat it gently with a knob of butter. It is also very good cold in a sandwich, which was not the plan but there we are.
Braised Red Cabbage with Apple
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Serves: 6 people
Serving size: 261g
Calories per serving: 170
Fat per serving: 7.1g
Ingredients
- 1 medium red cabbage (about 900g), quartered, cored and finely shredded
- 2 eating apples, peeled, cored and chopped
- 1 red onion, finely sliced
- 50g butter
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 3 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 100ml water
- Salt and black pepper to season
Method
- Melt the butter in your largest heavy pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced red onion and cook for 5 minutes, until it begins to soften.
- Add the shredded red cabbage a handful at a time, stirring after each addition, until it all fits in the pan. It will look like far too much and then settle.
- Stir in the chopped apple, red wine vinegar, light brown sugar, cinnamon and water, then season well with salt and black pepper.
- Cover the pan, turn the heat down low and cook for 45 minutes, stirring every so often, until the cabbage is completely tender and glossy.
- Take the lid off, turn the heat up and cook for a final 5-10 minutes until the liquid has reduced to a sticky glaze. Taste and balance with a little more vinegar or sugar.
