Description

A warming and flavorful side dish featuring tender red cabbage cooked with sweet apples, tangy cider vinegar, and aromatic juniper berries. This recipe brings out the natural sweetness of the apples combined with the earthiness of red cabbage, enhanced by subtle citrus notes and a touch of brown sugar, making it an excellent accompaniment for autumn and winter meals.

Ingredients

Scale

Produce

1½ kg red cabbage, quartered, tough core removed
2 red onions, sliced
4 red apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 orange, zested

Spices & Condiments

2 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
1 tbsp light soft brown sugar
60 ml cider vinegar
250 ml cloudy apple juice
25 g butter

Instructions

Prepare the cabbage and ingredients: Thinly slice the red cabbage after removing the tough core. Peel, core, and chop the apples, and slice the red onions. Zest the orange.
Combine ingredients in saucepan: Place the sliced red cabbage, red onions, chopped apples, orange zest, lightly crushed juniper berries, light soft brown sugar, cider vinegar, cloudy apple juice, and butter in a large saucepan.
Cook the mixture: Bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil over medium heat, stirring regularly to prevent sticking and to combine flavors evenly.
Simmer covered: Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid, and let it cook gently for about 1 hour or until the cabbage is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir occasionally during cooking to avoid burning and to mix flavors.
Season and serve: Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed. Serve warm as a side dish.
Storage: This dish can be made ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator for up to two days or frozen for up to one month. Reheat gently in a pan or microwave before serving.

Notes

Removing the tough core from the cabbage ensures tenderness and a pleasant texture.
Lightly crushing the juniper berries releases their aromatic flavors more effectively.
You can adjust the sweetness by modifying the amount of brown sugar according to taste.
If making ahead, reheat gently to preserve the texture and flavor.
This dish pairs excellently with roasted meats or as part of a hearty vegetarian meal.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Category: Side Dish
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: European

Keywords: red cabbage recipe, apple red cabbage, juniper berries, autumn side dish, stovetop cabbage, vegetarian side