Red cabbage and sausages

I thought I would share my recipes for the bratwurst with apples and braised red cabbage that I cooked last week. I have made both of these recipes many times before.

I'm always looking for different ways to make sausages exciting. Everyone is happy, when I tell the kids that there are sausages for dinner.



Bratwurst with apples
serves 4

• 750 grams bratwurst
• 250 grams apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
• 2 tables. butter
• 2 tables. sugar
• 2 tables. raisins

Grill the sausages and keep warm. In a large frypan melt the butter and gently cook the apples, covered, for 15 minutes until soft. Add the sugar and raisins and cook for a few minutes. Lay the cooked sausages over the apple and cover with a lid. Simmer for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.



This braised red cabbage recipe was on the Christmas menu that I cooked for my first cold Christmas in London. Every time I cook it I am reminded of our cosy flat on that day. The apartment was decorated with colours of the season: a poinsettia sat on a side table, red parrot tulips spilled from a vase on the mantle piece, red candles lit the room, fresh holly decorated the hors d'oeuvres platters, mistletoe hung in the doorway and best of all, the room was scented by a Norwegian spruce, yes, a real Christmas tree. The day was filled with many friends far from home and lots of delicious Christmas food. Joy, laughter and merriment, as it should be. There was lots of red wine, champagne and mulled wine and an incident with a tea towel catching fire on the gas hob, but that is a whole other story. (too much wine I think...shhhh)

The original recipe came from a December issue of UK Country Living, but I think I have probably played around with it a bit.

Braised red cabbage
 
serves 4

• 1/2 red cabbage (shredded)
• 3 tables. olive oil
• 1 large onion (diced)
• 1 1/2 tables. red wine vinegar
• 1 large or 2 small green apples (peeled and sliced)
• 50 grams brown sugar
• 3/4 teas. cinnamon
• 3/4 teas. ground cloves
• 2 tables. red wine
• 1 bay leaf
• salt and pepper
• 2 tables. red current jelly (optional)

Heat the oil in a large pan and saute the onions until soft. Add the cabbage and cook gently for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted. Add the vinegar and raise the heat to reduce the liquid. Once reduced, add the remaining ingredients and simmer for 2 hours.