German Red Cabbage (Rotkhol)

Rotkhol

German red cabbage is a delicious and beautiful German side dish, and it will make your house smell deliciously like a home. In August 1969 David, Grandma Ethel, and baby Walter (10 months old) went to see David's grandmother (Omama), Clara Koch (born Clara Frings), who was then advanced in age and lived at a retirement home in Reinbek, West Germany. This was located in the suburbs of Hamburg. David's aunt, widow of his uncle Klaus Koch, and their daughter Anita Koch lived in Reinbek. His aunt Eva Koch and her husband Hans Cordes also went to Reinbek that weekend, and one night we all went together to eat at a wonderful country restaurant called Neimann's Gasthof in a country road outside Reinbek. As we were led to our table, I noticed a purplish-red something that everyone seemed to be eating, along with potatoes and gravy. There was a rather aromatic fragrance in the air. Anita explained to me that the red, fragrant dish was Rotkhol. Later, she explained how to make it. It seems that each German Frau has her own way of making this delectable dish!
Cooking and prep time: about 2 hours
Servings: 6 people or more, depending on the size of the head of cabbage.
Ingredients
1 head red cabbage- about 1.5 lb
Butter - 2 sticks
Apples - three tart apples, cored (no need to peel), chopped
Red Wine (not sweet) - half a bottle, about 2 cups
Sugar- about 3/4 to 1 cup
Optional: 4 whole cloves, or a half teaspoon of ground cloves
Optional: 1 cup applesauce
Directions

1. Slice the cabbage quite thin (cooks faster and looks pretty)
2. In a big pot, such as a Dutch oven, on high heat, melt the butter and add the cabbage
3. Toss well, so cabbage is well covered
4. Add the apples and toss some more
5. Let it get pretty hot, almost to the point that it begins to stick on the bottom
6. Add the wine and sugar
7. Bring to boil while you toss it some more; the wine needs to give up its spirit (the alcohol)
8. If using cloves and applesauce, add them
9. When it is all very hot and has boiled about 5 to 10 minutes, lower the heat to low and cover with a lid
10. Let it keep on cooking until the cabbage is wilted and soft

Do not let it dry too much, as it will burn and get bitter
If it dries, add apple juice, or water, or more wine
Taste about every 30 minutes and correct for flavor (you can add more wine, or sugar, or butter), if necessary.
It will glisten and will be soft and fragrant.

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