Slow-braised red cabbage With einkorn berries and pomegranate
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Darrian Wilkins
- Last update: March 11, 2022
Red cabbage is a dish I grew up with. I never quite understood how much time went into it, but the thing is, if you only braise it for an hour or so, you do not get that same deep and acquired taste. At home we always serve it with potatoes and slow-braised beef, on of the few kinds of meat I actually like, especially when my mom makes it.
I however, chose to combine it with pomegranate arils and einkorn berries, an ancient grain which has a subtle, slightly sweet flavor. Einkorn is one of the oldest cultivated types of wheat and easier to digest than for example spelt. You can also grind it into flour for making scones, tortillas or gnocchi.
Of course you can also pair the cabbage with sweet potato and a roast for instance, or falafel. It actually goes well with a lot of flavors.
(serves 3-4 persons)
You need:
- 1 head of (organic) read cabbage,
- outer leaves and core removed, chopped into irregular chunks
- 250 ml/ 1 cup red wine
- 2 tbsp pomegranate juice, fresh
- 1 tbsp honey or muscovado sugar
- 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar
- 1 large apple, peeled and diced
- a knob of ginger, 2 cm/1 inch
- 4 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 star anise
- a knob of butter (leave out when vegan)
- a pinch of salt
- optional: 1 slice dutch gingerbread, diced
- 1 cup of einkorn berries, soaked overnight
- and cooked on low heat for 30 minutes in water and a pinch of salt
- a handful of pomegranate arils
How to make it:
- Add the spices to a heavy-bottomed pan or a Dutch oven (like the Le Creuset pan I used). Pour the wine over the spices and bring to a boil on medium high heat with the lid on. Let simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove the spices from the pan with a small sieve and add the sugar/honey and the pomegranate juice. Stir and cook for one more minute.
- Place the apple, the cake if you decide to use it, and the cabbage in the pot. Sprinkle some salt on top of it, add the vinegar, and give everything a stir.
- Put the lid back on and cook on a low heat for 3,5 to 4 hours, checking and stirring every now and then. Right before serving, stir a knob of butter through the cabbage. Enjoy!
