This is by far one of my favorite Ashkenazi dishes, for a humble dish of cabbage it really highlights the best in Ashkenazi cooking, taking a humble ingredient such as cabbage and infusing it with the sweet and sour flavor that has become one of the ubiquitous marks of Ashkenazi cooking.
The best part about this recipe is definitely the flavor, but aside from that it can be made well ahead of time and is super affordable.
- 1 small red cabbage, cut out the core, sliced thin
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon coarse sea salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 40g (¼ cup, packed) raisins
- 120ml (½ cup) chicken or vegetable stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Place the finely sliced cabbage in a colander and mix in the granulated sugar and coarse salt, place the colander in a sink or over a bowl, while you prepare the remaining vegetables.
- Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot over high heat once hot add the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the onions and cook the onions until soft and golden, stirring constantly about 6-8 minutes. Add the apples and mix well with the onions, cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the cabbage and bay leaf. Give everything in the pot a very good mix. Lower heat under the pot to low, giving everything a stir every 10-15 minutes to make sure that the cabbage isn’t catching on the bottom of the pot. If it does, add a drop of water to any dark spots and stir. Cover the pot and cook the cabbage for 45-60 minutes until all the cabbage is soft and cooked through.
- Once all the cabbage is soft and cooked through, add vinegar, sugar. Raisins and stock. Cook uncovered for a further 15 minutes. Taste and then season with salt and pepper.
- Once cooled completely and placed in an airtight container, Braised Red Cabbage and be kept in the fridge for 3-5 days and in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge for 24 hours and then reheat in a pot, taste and adjust seasoning before serving.