Food Photo of the Day ~ Red Cabbage

Red cabbage is an easy side dish that has all the right elements... sweet, sour, and crunch. As the cold weather gets more frequent I tend to make this dish more often as it goes with just about anything; and the prep may put some muscle in your arm. There is a fair bit of chopping. With a sprinkle of chia seeds this has a more up to date appeal plus added fibre. 

Hope everyone had a great weekend, we did. It seems like week has been a fast one that has one going in many directions. - JD  

Red Cabbage with Mushrooms, Nuts, & Bacon

Cabbage is an ingredient in Irish cuisine and rightfully so. With the many colours comes different flavours; and this recipe has red cabbage lightly braised with bacon, mushrooms, and hazelnuts. With the prep work aside this dish is not complicated to create and makes for a lovely side dish.

Red Cabbage with Mushrooms, Nuts, & Bacon

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Serves 4

1/2 large red cabbage

2 tablespoons canola oil or vegetable oil

6 thin bacon strips, cut into bite-size pieces

1 onion, chopped

2 teaspoons thyme leaves

2 1/2 cups coarsely chopped cremini mushrooms 

1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

grated zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon sea salt flakes

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 cup meat stock

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

pat of lightly salted butter

Substitutions: meat stock for a low sodium stock such as chicken or vegetable stock.

Quarter the cabbage lengthwise and discard the tough core in the centre. Slice the leaves widthwise into ribbons.

Heat the oil in a flameproof casserole dish or deep skillet over medium - high heat. Cook the bacon for about 5 minutes, until crisp.

Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion and thyme, and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is translucent.

Add the mushrooms and cabbage, and cook for an additional 5 minutes, until starting to soften. 

Stir in the nuts, lemon zest, sea salt, pepper, and sugar, and cook for an additional 3 minutes. Pour in the vinegar and stock, cover, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.

Check the seasoning, adding salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in the parsley and a pat of butter just before serving.

Red Cabbage

Another favourite thing of mine is red cabbage. Red cabbage is high in Vitamin C, rich in Vitamin A and abundant in Vitamin E. The darker and brighter a vegetable the better. Even though I had found a recipe in one of my many cookbooks, the recipe I used was given to me over the phone. This person was very sure and keen on sharing their recipe with me. You will need: one red cabbage, two apples, two white onions, olive oil, red wine vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper to taste.

First you want to finely chop the cabbage, apples and onions. I used Gala apples, you may also use Granny Smith apples for more of a tart flavour. When finished chopping add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to a large pot. Add a little salt and pepper. Start by putting a layer of red cabbage on the bottom, then follow with a layer of onion and then a layer of apples. Pour a tablespoon or two of red wine vinegar and a tablespoon of sugar, I used brown sugar, over the first set of layers. Repeat until all the cabbage, onion and apples are in the pot.

Your layers should look somewhat like this. With everything in the pot, simmer on medium high heat for an hour or two. Stir occasionally. Not letting it stick to the bottom of the pan. If juices run out add a bit more red wine vinegar. I supposed you could add some red wine to the pot, I did not. If you want the dish to be more sweet add more sugar. It's all personal preference.

When the house smells wonderful and everything has simmered down... remember the crunchy red cabbage and onion and the crisp apples... they have all come together. Stewed down into this yummy dish that is best served warm.

Have it with sausages, chicken or fish. It is a tasty side that will add colour and crunch to your meal.