German Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)

Several years ago I was asked to cook a formal Christmas dinner for 95 people.  I was given a committe of 5 women and a limited budget of $250.00.  I'm not joking.  I worked on that menu with my small allotted budget for a long time and by shopping wisely (planning the menu around seaonal and on-sale ingredients) and making every thing from scratch; my committee and I were able to perform a miracle.  We served apple glazed roast pork, garlic mashed potatoes, a pomegranate romaine salad, homemade dinner rolls, 4 layer candied-cranberry chocolate cake frosted with whipped creme fraiche, and this German red cabbage. One of the women on the committee had lived in Germany.  When presented with my menu, she was convinced that NO ONE would like or even eat the rotkohl.  I stuck to my guns, we served the cabbage, and guess which one of us was right?  Out of the 95 plates that the servers returned to the kitchen at the end of the meal, only ONE had a tiny bit of cabbage left on the plate.  Those plates were licked clean, I tell you.  People kept coming into the kitchen and asking what we had put in that cabbage dish. What's not to like about bacon, apples, brown sugar, and onions?

This German specialty is great with pork, chicken; even German Sausage.  We love this at our house.  Cabbage is inexpensive in season and it's a colorful addition to any plate.  This recipe is even better if made the day before serving.  Next time you need a colorful side dish to serve with pork, give this a try.  Last time I made this, Rachel told me that one recipe didn't look like it was enough.   Did I mention that we all really like this cabbage?

German Red Cabbage (Rotkohl)

¼ lb. of bacon, finely diced

1 medium onion, chopped

1small head of red cabbage (about 8 cups finely chopped)

2 large apples, finely chopped

1 teaspoon of kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

½ teaspoon of ground cloves

½ cup of brown sugar

1/3 cup of apple cider vinegar

1 cup of water (or more as needed to keep the cabbage from sticking to the pan while cooking)

In a large heavy kettle or Dutch oven, cook the bacon on low heat until the fat is rendered. Add the onion and cook until it is translucent. Add the remaining ingredients and heat until the mixture simmers. Turn to low and continue to simmer for at least 2 hours, stirring occasionally to keep the cabbage from sticking to the kettle. Add water as necessary.  Most of the liquid will simmer off. This is best made the day before and reheated just before serving.

Serves eight.

This is linked to Friday Pot Luck.