12 October 2012

Spiced Red (PURPLE!) Cabbage

Spiced Red (PURPLE!) Cabbage

My friend Jen has been the most awesome person in the world lately . . . according to Miss Mia, Jen put in a HUGE garden just for us.  AND she grows PURPLE veggies.  Yes!  PURPLE.  One night, Jen gave us PURPLE peppers, PURPLE Cabbage and PURPLE eggplant.  Needless to say, Miss Mia has decided that, next year, that's what we're growing . . . all PURPLE!

We've enjoyed many meals from Jen's garden, but still had quite the overflow of cabbage.  So, the husband actually decided we should can some . . . and NOT have it be "sauerkraut".

This is what we found.

Be warned, it makes your house smell like Christmas!

Spiced Red(PURPLE!) Cabbage

1 large head red (PURPLE) cabbage
1/8 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/8 cup mustard seeds
4 cups white vinegar
1 T whole cloves
1 T whole allspice (this didn't make it in our recipe)
1 T peppercorns
1 T celery seed
1 stick cinnamon - broken in half

Shred cabbage using food processor.  Layer cabbage in a bowl, covering each new layer with some of the kosher salt.  Cover cabbage and let stand for 24 hours.  Using a large colander, rinse and drain cabbage.  Try to get as much water off of cabbage as possible.

Sterilize jars (I ended up needing 4 pint size jars and one 1/2 pint jar).  Raw pack each jar with the cabbage, leaving 1 inch head space.

Place the cloves, allspice, peppercorns, celery seed and cinnamon in a tied cheesecloth.  In a non-reactive pot (or dutch oven), combine vinegar and sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.  Add the mustard seed and the cheesecloth ball to vinegar and sugar mix.  Cook mixture on low boil for three minutes.  Remove the cheesecloth ball before ladling.

Ladle the vinegar mix into jars - leave 1/2 inch head space.  Remove any air bubbles.  Tighten lids and place in water bath for 20 minutes.  Remove from water bath, place on kitchen towels and let sit for 24 hours before moving.  Remove rings for storage.  Leave sit at least three weeks in storage for best results regarding flavor.

It will turn a beautiful color!

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