Red Cabbage
I love red cabbage. It could be something to do with the rich purple colour. I think of it as a royal food as purple is historically the colour of royalty It is versatile, you can use it in all the ways you use cabbage. Red cabbage is an all season food, warm and comforting in the winter as a side dish. Great as a salad, or use in Cole Slaw. You can steam or stir fry it or pickle red cabbage. This always reminds me of hazy British summer days. Below are three red cabbage recipes.
Nutritional Value
Red Cabbage is extremely low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Calcium, Iron and Magnesium, and an exceptionally good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Manganese. However A large portion of the calories in this food come from natural sugars. Red cabbage is high in fiber and can cause "wind"
There are many ways to make red cabbage.
As ordinary cabbage, as a salad, pickled or sweet and sour. If you are a kosher cook, the first thing you must do is to check the cabbage as the instructions in this link.
Http://star-k.org/cons-vegdetail.php?ID=15
Red Cabbage Salad exceedingly straightforward Serves 6- 8
1 red cabbage checked, as above, and very finely sliced. I usually put it through the food processor. You can buy a bag of washed and checked red cabbage.
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 cup of washed checked and chopped chives
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 desert spoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon organic honey (optional but makes this sweeter).
2 teaspoons boiling water
Method
Dressing
Put the honey in a screw top jar, add the boiling water and stir till the honey is melted, add the oil and vinegar, salt and pepper put on the lid and shake well.
Dry the cabbage lay it in a large bowl
Crush the garlic add it to the bowl with the cabbage, add the chives. Cover with the dressing, Mix well.
Chill for at least 30 minutes then serve.
Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage. Serves 4-6
Traditionally a German recipe, there are many versions, some with caraway seeds, some with butter, some with more spices. I have friends that add flour, and others that make it more sour than sweet. I have played with this over the years, this is my lower calorie, sweet and delicious version of a family classic.
Ingredients
1 medium to large that has been checked as above. Chopped soaked in cold water with salt for five minutes rinsed and drained.
1 large or 2 medium red onions peeled and finely chopped.
1 table spoon apple cider vinegar.
The juice of half a lemon
2 sweet apples, washed peeled and chopped
1/2 cup sultanas, raisins or currents. Washed and soaked for 20 minutes in cold water and drained
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne or hot paprika (optional)
2 bay leaves
1/2 tea spoon dried thyme.
Optional for those who want it sweeter 1 teaspoon organic honey, or agave
1 teaspoon coconut oil.
2 cloves garlic
Method
Melt the coconut oil in a heavy bottom pan that has a tight fitting lid over a medium heat, add the onions, and garlic and cook off till translucent.
Put the cabbage in the pot and stir, add the apples, and all the herbs & seasoning, stir again, add the vinegar and lemon juice. Put the lid on, and cook on a medium heat for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid, add the sultanas, honey. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes, the cabbage should be al-Dente.
Serve hot. But you can server the left overs if there is any cold !
Pickled Red Cabbage
I remember Pickled Red cabbage from childhood, I loved the colour, vibrant on a white plate served with cold meat, or with cheese in a plowmans lunch. In my 20's and 30's I picked cabbage in Kilner jars every year. I undoubtedly must do it again.
1 red cabbage, checked as above, shredded
1 desert spoon koshering or course sea salt
1 liter malt or apple cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
4 cloves
1/2 inch ginger
2 cloves garlic sliced in half
2 teaspoons organic brown sugar
2 bay leaves
10 pepper corns.
2 kilner jars
Place some of the salt in a non metallic dish, add a layer of the cabbage, then a layer of the salt, continue layering this way, cover with salt, and a cheese cloth, place somewhere cool for 24 hours, then rinse thoroughly and drain.
Sterilize the kilner jars, then add i tea spoon sugar 5 pepper corns, a half of the ginger to the bottom of each jar, add some cabbage, add garlic, cloves, bay leaf in equal amount to each Jar, pack tight and add the vinegar to each jar.
Close, and leave for seven days.
The cabbage is ready after 7 days, it loses its crispness after eight weeks.
What is your favorite way to eat red cabbage ?
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