Name: Red Cabbage with Apples and Cloves
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 portions
Ingredients: 1000 g red cabbage; 2 pcs apples; 1 pc onion; 40 g lard; 200 ml water; 4 pcs cloves; 2 pcs bay leaves; 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar; 30 g sugar; 100 ml red wine; 1 to taste salt

Step by step process

Prepare the ingredients

1
Remove the outer leaves from the red cabbage and cut the head into quarters. Cut out the tough core and slice the quarters with a sharp knife or grate them into thin shreds. Peel and finely chop the onion. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and grate them coarsely.

Braising

2
Melt the lard in a pot and sweat the onion until translucent. Add the grated apple and saute briefly until it releases its juice and beautifully scents the fat.
TIP:
Cook the onions over low heat only until they soften and turn translucent, not brown. This creates a delicate, slightly sweet base that works well in sauces, soups, and meat dishes.
3
Add the shredded head and stir thoroughly so every strand is coated in the melted fat. Stir in the sugar and let it caramelize lightly, which gives the finished side dish a rich color and a pleasantly sweet note.
TIP:
Add sugar while sautéing onions and let it caramelize gently. Stir constantly and be careful not to burn. Caramelization will give the sauce a sweet-salty depth and the meat a golden color.
4
Pour in the vinegar, red wine, and water, then add the bay leaf and whole cloves. Season with salt, cover with a lid, and braise over low heat for about 45 minutes, until tender. Stir occasionally and add a little water or broth as needed so nothing scorches and the flavor stays juicy.

Seasoning and serving

5
The tender cabbage with slightly reduced juices is ready. Fish out the bay leaf and cloves, taste, and adjust the balance of vinegar and sugar to a sweet-and-sour finish. Serve warm with roast duck, goose, pork knuckle, or dumplings.