We always had some sort of braised red cabbage during the Jewish holidays, especially Rosh Hashanah, when I was little. I remember being very skeptical of the sweet and sour jumble, but then really falling for it.
For this cabbage dish, I decided to fall headfirst for the notion of “red,” adding radicchio and red onions to the cabbage. The stovetop braising softens the bitterness of the lettuce and the sharpness of the onion, though those do contribute wonderful layers of flavor to the dish. A little sweetness comes from the honey and the orange juice, a bit of tartness from the lemon, and a bit of both from the balsamic vinegar.
Seriously, how gorgeous is this dish, and can’t you picture it sitting next to a roast of any kind? This recipe makes a lot, so use a big pot or Dutch oven. I love the leftovers, but you can easily cut the recipe in half.
SPICY BRAISED RADICCHIO AND RED CABBAGE WITH CITRUS
Start to finish: 1 hour 15 minutes (45 minutes largely hands off time)
Serves 12 to 16
2 medium heads radicchio
1 head red cabbage
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 red onions, halved and thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup red wine
1/4 cup Madeira
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
Nutrition information per serving: 100 calories; 36 calories from fat; 4 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 102 mg sodium; 12 g carbohydrate; 2 g fiber; 7 g sugar; 1 g protein.
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