Kristine from A Verb for Keeping Warm asked for a red cabbage recipe on Twitter so I am posting it here to link her to it. This is probably bad knitting blog form but at least the person it’s for owns a yarn shop, right? Actually, it’s quite a beautiful shop full of gorgeous yarns and fabric. Check out her site, visit her shop!
And now: cabbage!
Red Cabbage, Flemish Style
from Everybody Eats Well in Belgium
1 medium red cabbage
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red currant jelly or 1 additional Tblsp sugar or honey (I usually use addtional sugar)
2 Tblsp cider vinegar
1/4 cup water, plus additional if needed
1 Tblsp dark brown sugar or honey (I usually use the sugar)
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
4 tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1. Discard the tough outer leaves of the cabbage (see Note). Cut the head into quarters and remove the white core. Shred the cabbage into very thin slivers.
2. Melt the butter in a large heavy Dutch oven. Add the cabbage, onion, currant jelly, vinegar, water, sugar, cinnamon, and a little salt and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat immediately and let simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
3. Add the apples and continue simmering for 1 hour, checking from time to time to see that it is not too dry. Add a little more water if necessary. At the end of the cooking time, the cabbage should be tender, the apples reduced to a purée, and all the liquid absorbed. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Serves 6 to 8.
Note: Don’t rinse red cabbage. Discard the outer leaves and wipe with a damp cloth if necessary. Rinsing, blanching, or boiling will fade the deep red color.
Variations: In step 2, cut 2 ounces slab bacon into thin strips. Render the bacon strips in the Dutch oven and continue with the recipe, omitting the butter. (I’ve done this, delish!)
All that said, this is how I usually make it. It’s not as authentic but it doesn’t take two hours.
Red Cabbage, Lazy Style
Sautée diced onion and sliced red cabbage in a bit of vegetable oil, then add apple sauce, brown sugar, and cider vinegar. Cover and simmer until the cabbage is soft.
the sheep free knitter 
Mmm, cabbage! I’ve never heard of adding currant jelly–probably because we don’t exactly have an overabundance of currants in the US, huh?
I only ever eat currants when I buy them once a year to make oliebollen at New Year’s. I’d be intrigued to try it in this but it really works well enough with brown sugar. 🙂