Recipe: Dianne's Red Cabbage

DIANNE'S RED CABBAGE
Adapted from source: Dianne/Aberdeen,WA

This is great with any beef or pork dish and potato Latkes (Potato pancakes) All of the measurements are approximate. It depends on your personal taste.

1 medium-size head red cabbage
3 to 6 slices bacon (the more the merrier)
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup apple juice or finely chopped apple
1/3 to 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)*
1 teaspoon ground or crushed caraway seeds (grind or crush them yourself)**
salt and freshly ground pepper (to taste)

Wash, and core cabbage; cut in half. Shred (slice) both halves coarsely. You don't want it too fine but you don't want chunks either. Set aside.

Heat a large deep covered pan like a chicken fryer and add the bacon slices to it. Cook them to crisp. When bacon is crisp, remove it a from the pan and drain it. Set aside.

To the dripping in the pan add the onion and saute to limp and just beginning to turn slightly golden.

Add the apple juice or chopped apple, vinegar, sugar, caraway, and if desired, salt and pepper. Stir well and let it simmer for a minute or so to blend flavors.

Add the shredded cabbage and stir it well into the liquid mixture. Cover and cook on medium heat until cabbage begins to soften, stirring occasionally, about 7 to 10 minutes. Check it a couple of times. You want to cook it but not kill it. It should still have a bit of bite to it.

*I omit the sugar because the apple juice acts as a sweetener and I like things sour. Take a taste and decide for yourself.

**I grind the caraway seeds because I love the flavor but hate biting into the little buggers.