Sauteed Purple Cabbage with Apples and Red Wine

Have you ever wondered why a cabbage is so heavy? Its because that homely crucifer has far more layers tightly wound inside than you could ever imagine. Seriously, I cut up a medium-sized purple cabbage on sunday, sauteed it, served it to several guests and ate it every day for 3 to follow. I STILL have leftovers. The good news is it goes with everything. 


The first two days we ate it with pan seared poultry sausages, the next day I ate it as a cold salad with hard-boiled eggs and finally we mixed it into our butternut squash soup for dinner one night - that was Chris' idea and I'm not sure I ever want to eat that soup without it now.

I'll get to the soup recipe later but for now go buy a purple cabbage and break out the dutch oven.

Sauteed Purple Cabbage with Apples and Red Wine

I served this with pan-seared chicken sausage from Brooklyn Cured
Serves a small army

olive oil

I medium size head of purple cabbage, sliced into ribbons

1 small or medium yellow onion sliced into thin ribbons

about 1 cup red wine

balsamic vinegar

hot pepper flakes

salt

pepper

ground sage

2 bay leaves

2 golden delicious apples sliced into thin sticks

Heat a large dutch oven over medium high heat and add a glug of olive oil.

When the oil is hot add a pinch of hot pepper flakes and the onion. 

Sautee until softened, about 1 minute.

Add the cabbage, and red wine and stir to coat. There should be extra liquid at the bottom of the pot.

Add a splash of balsamic, 2 bay leaves a teaspoon or 2 of ground sage and a hefty pinch of kosher salt. 

Stir and cover.

Let the cabbage cook down and soften stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or so. Add more wine and/or balsamic as needed to keep just a little liquid at the bottom.

Once cabbage is just about cooked add the apple slices and a few grinds of black pepper

Cook uncovered until the apple is softened and most of the liquid is absorbed.

The cabbage should be tender and not to tough but not totally mushy either.

Remove bay leaves and serve with pan seared sausage or pretty much anything else.