Monday, January 15, 2018

Rotkohl - Allow lots of time

This sweet/sour red cabbage dish was part of a formal dinner party that we had last Saturday. It made enough for about 16 people as a side. The proportions are not exact (sadly) because there was some improvisation needed. But here it is approximately. You can tell by the color if you have enough vinegar.  The dish needs to stay bright red looking. If it goes too dark or faintly purple, there isn't enough acid.

Ingredients

1 head red cabbage (about 4lbs, shredded)
1 1/2 yellow onions (about 1lb) sliced thinly
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and sliced
8 cloves inside a spice bag to make them easy to find in the finished dish
3/4 cup rice wine vinegar (Ideally you would use apple cider vinegar and a bit less, but we were out!)
10 T sherry vinegar (optional n- unnecessary if using apple cider vinegar)
1/4 cup of sugar (to taste)
3 t kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Combine all the ingredients in a large pot (these fit into a 7 quart dutch oven). Bring to a simmer gently. Cover and simmer for at least 90 minutes. By all means crack the lid and taste to make sure the balance is how you want it.
After 90 minutes, uncover and allow some of the liquid to evaporate (another 30 minutes). By this time the cabbage should have softened but should still be slightly firm.
Remove the spice bag and serve hot as a side dish with your main course.

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