Crock Pot Baked Spiced Red Cabbage With Apples or Pears

Ingredients

• 2 lbs red cabbage, shredded finely
• 4 large onions, peeled & finely diced
• 4 large apples or pears, NOT peeled, finely diced
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled & finely minced
• 4 tablespoons soft brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• salt & pepper
• 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 ounce butter

Directions

1. 1

   Discard outer leaves of the red cabbage and ut into quarters. Cut out the central woody root and then shred the quarters very finely. Place in a bowl. Cut the apples or pears into quarters, core them & then slice into fine dice and set aside in another bowl.

2. 2

   Place peeled and diced onions into another bowl & make sure all the other ingredients are measured and to hand!

3. 3

   If cooking in a conventional dutch oven or Le Creuset type casserole dish, turn oven on to 180 C or 360°F It can be cooked on top of the stove too.

4. 4

   For cooking in the crockpot - take the inner crock out and start layering the ingredients: Red cabbage, then salt & pepper; Apples or pears, onions & garlic, then the spices & brown sugar;keep layering this way until everything has been used up.

5. 5

   (If you would like it slghtly spicier, add a little more spices, but no more than 1 teaspoon per spice, as it will be too spiced & will detract from the apple/pear & red cabbage flavours!).

6. 6

   Dot the top of the red cabbage with the butter and pour over the red wine vinegar.

7. 7

   Season once more with salt & pepper and cook for 6 to 12 hours on High in the crockpot, until everything has broken down, is soft and it is a rich red colour.

8. 8

   For conventional cooking - cook for about 2 - 2 1/2 hours at 180 C or 360°F I.

9. 9

   It can be cooked on the stove top too; takes about 2 - 3 hours on a low heat, just a slow simmer.

10. 10

    Pears can be used as well, and I sometimes add a handful of cranberries for a really festive touch!