Want to celebrate Octoberfest right at home? It's easy! Make some spaetzle noodles, a little fried schnitzel and braised red cabbage. Yes, some of my "favorite things."
I love red cabbage and was a little intimidated to make it. I'm one of those "throw this in" kind of cook, but found this experiment very easy.
Buy or steam three plain small beets.
Shred one head of red cabbage and start to soften it over a medium high heat with a spoon or two of water.
Chop up the beats and add them and the beat juice to the pot or deep pan.
Add about 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar.
Add a finely chopped shallot (some people use red onion, but I like a more mild taste).
Dice one apple and add that too.
Add a good drizzle of olive oil and 1-2 tablespoons of butter (depending on how healthy you want to be).
Check if the cabbage is starting to shrink and soften a bit.
Lower the flame to a simmer.
Add a tablespoon of sugar and another half of a tablespoon of honey (I tried to sub the healthier honey in lieu of more sugar).
Salt to taste.
Smell and taste are a cook's friend. Use it and see if you are starting to get a tangy sweet cabbage.
Top if off with a half of teaspoon of strawberry jam and stir it in. Throw in a bay leaf. Let it all cook down at least an hour on a low heat.
You should have a nice liquid on the bottom and all the ingredients are a beautiful dark purple. Remove the bay leaf before serving. The longer this sits, the better is tastes.
And it is a healthy side dish for your Octoberfest fun!