Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 1 medium red cabbage (about 1 kg), cored and finely shredded
- 2 eating apples, cored and chopped
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp maple syrup or 1 tbsp honey
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 150 ml water
- 180 g cooked, peeled chestnuts, halved
- Sea salt and black pepper
Method
- Soften: heat the oil in a large, heavy casserole and cook the onion for 5 minutes.Lighter option: soften the vegetables in a few tablespoons of water or stock instead of oil, adding a splash more whenever the pan starts to look dry. Each tablespoon of oil you leave out saves around 120 calories, and most people find the dish tastes just as good.
- Braise: add the cabbage, apples, vinegar, maple syrup, spices, orange zest and juice, and water. Stir well, season, then cover and cook very gently for 1 hour–1 hour 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the cabbage is meltingly tender. (Or bake, covered, at 160°C/140°C fan for 1½ hours.)
- Add the chestnuts: stir in the chestnuts for the last 10 minutes. Remove the whole spices and check the seasoning: it should be a balance of sweet and sour.
- Serve: serve as a side with roasts, or as a main with quinoa, lentils or a baked potato. It's even better the next day.
Why it's good for you: Red cabbage gets its colour from anthocyanins, the same protective compounds found in blueberries, and it's rich in vitamin C and fibre. Cooking it with vinegar keeps that colour bright. Cabbage has long been valued as a food for the gut.
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