Miles Collins

German Style Braised Red Cabbage

Most people wouldn’t readily associate red cabbages with summer, it is generally considered a winter vegetable with piles of it served up with game dishes and meat ragouts but the season has well and truly begun. This weekend I shall be harvesting the first of a dozen or so that I have been growing since March. They have done remarkably well, nothing has attacked them which is a feat in itself and every plant has produced round, firm heads.

I’ve always loved red cabbage, my mother cooks a wonderful pot of the stuff, always has. I used to love the way the bright red cooking juices seeped into the pork casserole and how the colours stood out against the bright white of some mashed potatoes. I think I’ll move back home!!

I cooked a lot of red cabbage during my time in Germany, it was the natural pairing for the autumn game dishes on the menu, try and imagine a braised venison or roast pheasant with some red cabbage and rich, cheesy german noodles. It’s groundhog day-I’ve gone back to my parents and then gone to Germany and all because of cabbage!

Red cabbage is ideal for making a big pot of and then freezing down for later use. It keeps well in a refrigerator and leaving a day after cooking only allows the flavour to develop. Take a cabbage, quater it and remove the inner white core. Remove the tough, outer leaves and slice thinly. Take a pan large enough to accomodate the pile of cabbage and gently cook a couple of sliced red onions in a glug of olive oil, once softened add the cabbage. Season with salt, pepper and a little nutmeg. Add a liberal splash or glass of red wine, don’t be shy. Stir in a spoon or two of redcurrant jelly and a spoon of brown sugar. Crush a couple of juniper berries and cloves and throw those in followed by a small stick of cinnamon. Peel a cooking apple and grate it into the pot, squeeeeeze (literally) all of the juice from a ripe orange and tear two or three fresh bay leaves, throw it all in. I like to finish with a generous dose of vinegar (red wine or balsamic) before giving the whole lot a good stir and leaving to cook gently for a good hour or until soft.

Check the liquid, you might need to add a little water, don’t let it cook itself dry, it should be moist. Some put sultanas, raisins and the like into theirs but I don’t. You shouldn’t get too hung up over quantities with this, go for a taste which balances the sugar and acid, look for a colour which is deep red/purple and tastes of spice.