Braised Red Cabbage with Christmas Spices

Meg’s Braised Red Cabbage with Christmas Spices

A slow cooked red cabbage is soft and unctuous, easily prepared (in advance if you like, it freezes really well) and perfect with so many Christmas dishes that I often make a really big casserole pot a couple of weeks in advance and freeze it in two batches; one for Christmas Day and one for when in the days after Christmas we hope to see a crowd of friends for a big walk followed by beef stew, mash and lovely braised red cabbage.

You will need;

I medium red cabbage

2 medium onions (white or red)

2 Bramley apples or if you need to use them up 3-4 eating apples

2 tbsp brown sugar

¼ pt red wine vinegar

3 tbsp water

½ whole nutmeg freshly grated

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp powdered clove (you can use whole cloves (8-10) but don’t forget to remind your guests to look out for them!

Salt and pepper

Cranberries (optional) you can just throw a couple of handfuls in if you like this will sharpen the flavour a little and give a very appealing ‘jewelled’ look.

Prepared and slice up (as finely as you can) the cabbage and onion. Peel and slice the apples.

Mix all the vegetables and fruit together in a deep casserole dish (a big ‘Le Creuset’ works really well). Sprinkle over the spices and sugar, season with salt and pepper.

Toss everything about and then pour over the red wine vinegar and water. Put a tight lid on the casserole and braise in a medium heated oven for at least one and a half hours until the cabbage is really soft and tender – the fruit will have ‘melted’ away.