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Spiced red cabbage braised in pear cider

Braised red cabbage goes superbly with poultry and game, so no wonder it’s one of the most popular side-dishes  during the winter festivities. I always make some when I roast duck, goose or turkey, and this spiced red cabbage braised in pear cider is one of my favourite version. You can make it in advance (even days ahead) so making dinner / lunch for friends and family can be a bit let stressful. You can use dark muscovado sugar instead of honey if you’re after a more intense, almost caramelised flavour. If nuts are not an issue for you, serve it with some toasted walnuts crumbled on the top.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cuisine: British
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 small red cabbage
  • 1 onion
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 2 cm piece of ginger peeled
  • 200 ml pear cider
  • 2-4 Tbsp honey to taste
  • 2 hard pears
  • Salt & pepper

Method
 

  1. Finely chop the onion.
  2. In a heavy-based saucepan heat the oil and gently sauté the onion.
  3. Meanwhile, thinly slice or shred the cabbage. Cut the pears into 4 wedges (remove the core).
  4. When the onion is soft, add the cabbage, stir for a minute or so, then add the cider & honey. Add the star anise, ginger and cinnamon stick. Season with salt &pepper. Bring to the boil, then stir for a couple of minutes.
  5. Put the lid on, turn down the heat and gently cook for about 30 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.
  6. Taste, adjust the sweetness and seasoning to your liking.
  7. Serve warm or let it rest and reheat when needed. Remove the star anise, ginger piece and cinnamon stick before serving.