[GrannyGruntbuck]

We are thinking of including red cabbage as part of our Xmas dinner this year but don't know how to prepare it.
The last time I cooked red cabbage, it lost its colour.
So how would I cook it?

[vosne]

I'm not sure how you can make red cabbage lose its colour


What you want to do is braise it on the hob slowly. V. slowly and gently. It'll take care of itself.

Bit of butter and olive oil in the pan - melt

Shred the cabbage - throw into pan on lowest heat possible.

Splash in some red wine vinegar or balsamic.

Chuck in some sugar, salt and pepper. Add some water or stock if it looks dry. You want something sweet/sharp. And very moreish.

That's your basics. What else you add is up to you. We're probably going to do some and will add:

Bit of finely chopped garlic

Bay leaves

Orange zest and lemon zest

Cloves

Maybe a touch of stock

Maybe some diced apple near the end

Bit of nutmeg maybe


It's whatever you want it to be really. Add whatever spices / herbs appeal to you.

[GrannyGruntbuck]

Thanks, I shall give it a try.
I can assure you the one and only time I did cook red cabbage, almost all the colour came out of it.
I probably cooked it on too high a heat for too long.

[norbitonite]

When you start, the total liquid in the pan should come about half way up the quantity of cabbage, so that you're braising it on a gentle heat, not boiling it immersed in liquid. If you use red wine vinegar, add a good dollop of redcurrant jelly if you've got some. Makes the finished sauce nice and 'jammy'.

[19Nick68]

Never made it myself but when we've eaten out and had it, it's been delicious!!

[SeasideLady]

This is a recipe for it from a Marks and Spencer cookery book c 1976 ! It works perfectly though, and you just cook it in the oven - much easier.

1½ lb finely shredded red cabbage ( discard the tough core )
2-3 cooking apples peeled, cored and sliced
1 large onion chopped
2 ozs raisins
4 cloves crushed, and ½ teaspoon each of nutmeg and cinnamon
1 tablespoon brown sugar
½ pint chicken stock

Just put the cabbage, apples, onion, raisins, sugar and spices in a large casserole. Season well with plenty of grinds of black pepper and salt. Pour in the stock, stir well to mix. Cover with a tight lid and cook in oven for about 1½ hrs, 180 / Gas 4 . Check seasoning and stir in a good knob of butter to serve. This makes a huge potful - easily serves 10 - 12 people for a dinner. Make it a day in advance - easy to reheat.

[Gogfumble]

Quote:

Originally Posted by GrannyGruntbuck

Thanks, I shall give it a try.
I can assure you the one and only time I did cook red cabbage, almost all the colour came out of it.
I probably cooked it on too high a heat for too long.

Yes, if you overcook it it tends to turn brown, rather than stay "red" (purple).

[Hotgossip]

Here's how I do mine and is the way my late M-I-L cooked hers in Germany.

Wash and shred red cabbage.
Put tablespoon oil in large saucepan. I never use any water.
Heat and add cabbage, vinegar, couple of bay leaves, some brown sugar and 2 cooking apples (peeled and sliced) and laid over cabbage.

Leave to simmer very slowly until apple on top has disintegrated. You can add bit more vinegar and salt and black pepper to taste.

It is also delicious cold the next day.

[Sallysally]

If you live in a hard water area, the calcium in the water tends to make the water alkaline - and red cabbage is rather like litmus paper in that it goes blue with alkali and red with acid.

So, if you live in a hard water area, it will be essential to add something acid to the cabbage to let it keep its red colour - like vinegar or sourish cooking apple or cranberries etc.

[GrannyGruntbuck]

I live in a very hard water area, so that may well explain it losing its colour.

[Gogfumble]

We use white wine vinegar in our red cabbage and it stays a nice colour. very hard water here too, never made the connection between it before, have just always used WWV.

[Hotgossip]

We live in just about the hardest water area in the country - Norfolk, and my red cabbage always stays red because I don't use water just vinegar - plain old malt vinegar.

[stud u like]

I just cook it in oil. It always stays purple.

I cook it throughout the year.

[missyalicia]

There is recipe around for red cabbage with balsamic vinegar. It was good. We had for Christmas dinner 2 years ago.