Quick red cabbage - for 3 people
- 1 onion, chopped small
- 1/2 garlic clove
- 1/3 red cabbage - shredded
- 1 large apple, peeled and sliced OR
- 3 large tablespoons of Compton Dundon apple jam
- Handful of dried cranberries
- Little salt and pepper
- Mixed spice - a few pinches and winter spice (if you have it)
- Nutmeg - a few fresh grinds
- 1/2 tbsp cranberry sauce and 1/2 tbsp redcurrant sauce
- 1 tsp water
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- Butter - a few small knobs
Instead of cooking this in the oven (as in Braised Red Cabbage), this can be cooked relatively easily and quickly on a gas burner, taking about 45 minutes.
Prepare the cabbage - strip out the hard stalks and shred quite thickly. Peel and core the apple (if using), then slice.
In a large pan, cast iron if possible, slowly fry the onion and garlic. Then add the red cabbage, sliced apple or apple jam, dried cranberries, fruit sauces, brown sugar and spices. Pour the vinegar and water over the top and season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Dot with butter and mix well, bring to the boil and then turn right down to simmer, covering with a lid. After 15 minutes, check that it isn’t too dry and give it another stir. Add water if necessary. Cook for another 30 minutes or so, until the cabbage and apple are cooked, but still have bite.
Red cabbage mixes well with so many foods - sausages, baked potatoes, salmon, pies and stews, to name a few things. You can have endless fun with red cabbage and this recipe has changed meal times for me, because it is so quick to prepare.