When the first rains comes each year it's only a matter of days before I begin to crave braised cabbage. The sweetness of the apples, the tartness of apple cider vinegar and the aromatic, comforting quality of caraway tend to perfectly satisfy the first autumn chill- especially when accompanying sausage.
Caraway is a traditional spice used throughout the ages for various maladies. The ancient Arabs brought caraway to Europe where it became popular as a culinary spice and as a a digestive aid- chewing the seeds well after a meal to release their stimulating aromatic oils helps relieve indigestion. For this reason, caraway became a common ingredient in aperitifs. As a side note, caraway was also traditionally used in love potions as it was believed to keep lovers from turning fickle!
My version of this traditional German dish includes fresh apple cider and maple syrup, other than that, it's fairly basic. Go for onions on the sweeter side if you can- cipolline or red.
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons caraway
- 1 head of red cabbage (medium sized), sliced thinly
- 1-2 tart apples- peeled, cored, and chopped
- 1 cup freshly juiced apple cider (use store-bought if you don't have a juicer)
- 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
In a heavy-bottomed pot sauté the onion in butter over medium heat until soft and beginning to brown. Add the caraway seeds and cook a few minutes more to release the aromatics of the caraway.Add the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer covered for about a half hour, stirring periodically. Then remove the lid and simmer twenty minutes more.
