Both cabbage and onions turn sweet when cooked—so it is good to add a tart apple to this dish. I use lots of Mid-Eastern Mediterranean spices to give it an interesting flavor. Although I like the red cabbage baked, green works equally well.

Serves 8

1 small red cabbage, cored and shredded

1 large onion, peeled, quartered lengthwise and sliced thin

1 tart apple, cored and cut into julienne

1/3 cup olive oil

2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 teaspoons each: paprika, cinnamon, and dill weed

1 1/2 teaspoons each: toasted and ground cumin seed and caraway seed

1 heaping tablespoon sugar, optional

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons sesame seed

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits, optional

Preheat oven to 400º F and lightly oil a 13-x 9-inch casserole dish.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, onion and apple and toss. Drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over the vegetables and sprinkle the paprika, cinnamon, dill, cumin, caraway, sugar, if using it, and season generously with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat the vegetables.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds and dot with butter, if desired. Bake in a preheated oven for 1 hour; cover with foil for the last 10 or 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.

 

© 2011Susan Belsinger