Braised Red Cabbage – a classic Christmas side dish
No Christmas dinner is complete for me without a dish of steaming braised red cabbage. Slow cook it with an apple and some spices and the humble red cabbage is transformed into a dish fit for a king.
Bach is famous for his Goldberg Variations. My braised red cabbage may not be a work of genius, but like Meister Bach’s work, it’s slightly different each time I make it; I vary the spices and other additions as I see fit. The result is always delicious and it’s one of my favourite vegetable side dishes. Schwartz, that well known purveyor of spices, has an interesting recipe for braised red cabbage on its website and I was keen to try it. The recipe includes the classic accompaniment juniper berries, but also bay leaves and black pepper, all available as Schwartz spices.
For those who didn’t know, I include myself in that number, Schwartz is not a German company; it was founded in Nova Scotia, Canada in 1889 by William Schwartz. At that time it was near impossible to buy pure spices, they were frequently adulterated with all sorts of other materials. William was not happy with this state of affairs and spent his time peddling his pure spices whilst pedalling his bicycle around Nova Scotia.
I pretty much followed the recipe as given, but used red onions instead of normal ones and coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. I like to get healthy ingredients in where I can. I also gave it my own little twist by substituting my homemade blackcurrant vinegar for the cider vinegar stated in the recipe. The apple was one from my mother’s garden, which along with the red cabbage grown in Cornwall gave the dish a distinctive Cornish identity.
Talking of healthy ingredients, red cabbage is highly regarded for its beneficial properties. It’s a phytonutrient treasure trove with masses of vitamins, flavanoids and sulphur compounds. Who needs pills when you can eat this stuff.
CT got home from work and collapsed in a chair. He perked up no end, however, when he heard braised red cabbage was on the menu. It would be a perfect accompaniment to the lentil and Brazil nut roast I made at the weekend, but it’s also very nice with baked potatoes – which is how we had it. It should be cooked through, but still have a bit of bite to it. Leave it too long and it becomes mushy and loses its lustre. Done properly, like this, it’s sweet, almost fruity and has a slight tang and a wonderful texture – “this stuff is decidedly moreish”, CT told me.
- 2 tbsp coconut oil - or use oil of your choice
- 1 large red onion - thinly sliced
- 1 large cooking apple - peeled, cored and sliced
- 1 tsp dark muscovado sugar
- 1/2 large red cabbage - cored and sliced
- 2 tbsp blackcurrant vinegar - raspberry vinegar would also be good.
- 6 Schwartz juniper berries - roughly crushed
- 2 Schwartz bay leaves
- 25g sultanas
- Schwartz ground black pepper
- pinch sea salt flakes
- Fry the onions in the oil in a large pan over low heat for 5 minutes or until soft.
- Add the apples and stir.
- Add the sugar, stir and fry for a minute.
- Add the cabbage, vinegar, bay leaves, juniper berries and sultanas. Cover the pan and cook over a low heat for 40 minutes.
- Add the salt and pepper, stir and continue to cook for a further 2 minutes.
I’m sending this braised red cabbage off to Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary for Extra Veg. One of the great thing about Christmas is all those extra vegetables you get to eat and this is one of them. The challenge comes from Helen of Fuss Free Flavours and Michele over at Utterly Scrummy.
This also goes to Cook Once Eat Twice with Corina over at Searching for Spice. We’ve already had several meals out of this cabbage and it seems the longer it’s left the better it gets.
And as this braised red cabbage is for me, very much a Christmas classic, I’m sending it off to #FoodYearLinkUp at Charlotte’s Lively Kitchen.
Disclosure: This post is written by me, but in association with Schwartz. As always, all words and opinions are my own.
Sammie
18th December 2015 at 3:15 pmBraised red cabbage is one of my favourite sides dishes to have with Christmas dinner, yet I confess I have never made my own. I have no excuse now. Thanks for a fab recipe. Sammie.
Choclette
18th December 2015 at 3:34 pmThanks Sammie. Homemade, as usual is the best. And this is a particularly good recipe 🙂
Johlene@FlavoursandFrosting
18th December 2015 at 6:07 pmI love cabbage and would love to try this recipe!
Choclette
18th December 2015 at 8:47 pmCabbage is a true wonder vegetable Johlene. I love it too.
Jacqueline Meldrum
18th December 2015 at 7:59 pmIs this where I should admit I never make red cabbage? But actually that sounds really good with all those flavours.
Choclette
18th December 2015 at 8:47 pmJac, I’m quite shocked. You don’t like nut roast and you don’t make red cabbage. What do you eat on Christmas day?
Janice
18th December 2015 at 9:26 pmWe love red cabbage too, but we don’t tend to have it for Christmas dinner. I guess it’s just family traditions. I love it in a red coleslaw on Boxing Day with the leftovers.
Choclette
19th December 2015 at 8:47 amNow coleslaw on boxing day is not something I’ve ever had, but it’s a jolly good idea – I like it Janice 🙂
Camilla
18th December 2015 at 9:44 pmMy mum would always make red cabbage similar to this to have with pate and traditional Danish food at Christmas, I think she put blackcurrant cordial in hers.
Choclette
19th December 2015 at 8:51 amAh great minds Camilla. It’s the blackcurrant notes that make it I reckon 😉
Leisel
19th December 2015 at 3:59 amThe fact that I don’t know much about any of these ingredients bothers me quite a bit. Looks good though.
Choclette
19th December 2015 at 8:53 amIt sounds like you need to remedy that situation Leisel 😉
Elizabeth
19th December 2015 at 8:57 amI had no idea Schwartz were a company from Nova Scotia! You learn something new every day! Gorgeous recipe. I’m a big fan of braised red cabbage. 🙂
Choclette
19th December 2015 at 11:25 amI’ve learnt heaps since I’ve been blogging Elizabeth, it’s fun picking up these scraps of info if find.
Dom
19th December 2015 at 9:18 amI adore braised garbage but I don’t think i’ve ever cooked it. I must remedy this this year, yours looks so lovely and spicy!
Choclette
19th December 2015 at 11:25 amDom I’ve never tried cooking garbage and I don’t intend to start any time soon 😉
Nayna Kanabar
19th December 2015 at 10:47 amI love the vibrant colour of this cabbage. It looks great.
Choclette
19th December 2015 at 11:26 amThanks Nayna, it’s a lovely colour and luckily it tastes delicious too 🙂
Angie@Angie's Recipes
19th December 2015 at 4:51 pmI haven’t made any braised cabbages this year yet..wish I could get to taste some of yours! It surely looks very delicious.
Choclette
19th December 2015 at 7:49 pmThanks Angie. I always forget just how good it is and am surprised anew each year.
Kacie
19th December 2015 at 10:53 pmThis has to be one of my favourite side dishes on a traditional Christmas roast dinner. I must remember to get some for Xmas Day in our house!
Choclette
19th December 2015 at 11:18 pmOh yes, do remember to get yourself a red cabbage in plenty of time Kacie 🙂
the caked crusader
20th December 2015 at 4:09 pmThe only red cabbage we had when I was growing up was a jar – only at Christmas – of Hayward’s pickled red cabbage. It could strip paint it was so harsh. Now my horizon’s have broadened and I like red cabbage!
Choclette
20th December 2015 at 5:18 pmOh horror! Someone gave me a jar of bought pickled cabbage once. It sat in the back of my fridge for several years before eventually finding its way onto the compost heap. Harsh is the word.
Lesley @ Cheap Vegetarian Meals
20th December 2015 at 7:17 pmChoclette, this looks absolutely awesome. We’re having a vegetarian Christmas at home this year so I’ve been looking for recipes to wow the family so they don’t miss meat at all. This is definitely going on the menu.
Thanks for sharing!
Choclette
20th December 2015 at 9:36 pmThanks so much Lesley. I hope the family enjoy this as much as we do and good look with your vegetarian Christmas dinner.
Marisa Franca @ All Our Way
20th December 2015 at 7:38 pmWhat a beautiful dish!! I could picture it at the holiday table. I really like cabbage and I don’t usually think of red cabbage. I don’t know why not — it is so colorful! Thank you for sharing.
Choclette
20th December 2015 at 9:33 pmThanks Marisa. The colour is so good at this time of year, but it tastes very good too 🙂
Oana @AdoreFoods
21st December 2015 at 1:46 amBraised red cabbage used to be one of my favorite dishes at Christmas time! Thank you for reminding me of it 🙂 Yum!
Choclette
21st December 2015 at 9:09 amIt’s funny how we go in and out of favourite dishes which sometimes get forgotten then suddenly remembered again by a chance remark – or post 😉
Claudia | Gourmet Project
21st December 2015 at 9:15 amI remember having braised cabbage from my childhood, and remember it delicious, must try to make it myself!
Choclette
21st December 2015 at 5:22 pmCabbage doesn’t always have the best reputation, but I love it.
nazima
21st December 2015 at 10:47 amlove braised cabbage – great way to add a nice a tangy side dish to sunday lunches!
Choclette
21st December 2015 at 5:23 pmYes Nazima and it’s nice to have the splash of colour too 🙂
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
21st December 2015 at 4:33 pmI am not sure that I have ever made braised cabbage – I think that I need to give it a go.
Choclette
21st December 2015 at 5:26 pmThat’s a shocking statement from such a veg loving person Helen. Maybe this Christmas?
Glamorous Glutton
21st December 2015 at 5:16 pmI love red cabbage but rarely make it. This is a fab recipe and different from the one I make. I’ll have to give it a try. GG
Choclette
21st December 2015 at 5:27 pmThanks GG. I can’t really take credit for the recipe, but I can attest it’s a good one 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
21st December 2015 at 10:34 pmI don’t think that i have ever made braised cabbage either. You tempting me now Choclette.
Choclette
22nd December 2015 at 8:48 amHaha and there was me thinking it’s what everyone ate for Christmas 😉
Ciao Florentina
22nd December 2015 at 5:24 amIt has been a long time since I’ve had this. Brings back sweet memories of Childhood days.
Choclette
22nd December 2015 at 8:51 amRevive those memories some more Florentina and make some, it’s delicious.
Charlotte Oates
22nd December 2015 at 7:33 pmI’ve never had braised red cabbage for Christmas dinner. I’m not in charge of the Christmas day cooking this year, but I’ll have to give it a try when I am (or perhaps with a Sunday roast in the new year 🙂 ).
Happy Christmas Choclette x
Choclette
23rd December 2015 at 11:07 amHave it with a roast in the new year Charlotte – you can’t go another year without trying it 😉
Corina
22nd December 2015 at 9:50 pmIt sounds beautiful and perfect as a Christmas side dish! I really don’t cook with cabbage enough and should try something like this sometime. Thank you so much for joining in with #CookOnceEatTwice
Choclette
23rd December 2015 at 6:31 pmCabbage can be so delicious if cooked in the right way. It’s one of my favourite vegetables.
Joy @ Joy Love Food
23rd December 2015 at 2:47 pmMy husband, who is from The Netherlands, makes something similar, but his doesn’t have the Juniper berries or sultanas, we will have to give your version a try, it sounds delicious!
Choclette
23rd December 2015 at 6:33 pmOh juniper berries are a must Joy 😉 I’m now wondering what a Dutch version would be like.