Crack Red Cabbage

For some reason I thought I posted my red cabbage recipe. I like this version because there are no onions or fruit, just brown sugar, white vinegar and chicken stock.
Simple, easy and I like to call it Crack Red Cabbage. Every year during the holidays, I would bring a container for my BIL who would eat the whole thing. He's no longer with us and The Nudge is not as fond of cabbage as I am so, I hardly ever make this dish.

I found myself with a half a head of red cabbage in my fridge and I thought our German dinner screamed out for a little sweet and sour somethin'. I don't think that red cabbage should get the bad rap that green cabbage does. It does not make you musical. It is naturally sweet and the longer you cook it the sweeter it gets. By cooking it in chicken broth we can use less sugar and that is a good thing. Tradition usually has you adding applesauce or sliced apples, sometimes raisins and always onions. Now, don't get me wrong, I am an onion junkie, but with red cabbage, I want to taste the vegetable, not the aromatics. Plus, all that extra stuff adds up to a whole lot of carbs and sugar and that we don't need.

To my surprise The Nudge said the cabbage was good because it wasn't really sickly sweet as some others he's had.

Braised Red Cabbage
makes 6 servings

• 1 head red cabbage (about 2 pounds)
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 3 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 small bay leaf, crushed
• 3  tablespoons packed brown sugar (or brown sugar sub)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Chop up the red cabbage, being careful to remove the core. Place in a pot and add the remaining ingredients. Simmer over medium low heat for an hour, or until the cabbage is tender.

Red cabbage is very low in Saturated Fat and Cholesterol. It is also a good source of Thiamin, Riboflavin, Folate, Calcium, Iron and Magnesium, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Manganese.