Nigella Lawson's red cabbage recipe is elevated with special festive ingredient

21 December 2023 , 10:18

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Take your red cabbage to new heights with this recipe (stock photo) (Image: Johner RF/Getty Images)

Cabbage can taste a little bland and... well, stinky.

So, if you're sick of boiling the veg every Christmas only for nobody to actually eat it - there is a solution. Celebrity chef Nigella Lawson has created a delicious recipe that combines the 'sweetness' of red cabbage with a 'cheek-squeaky sharpness' of cranberries.

It costs just over £1 per serving and is finished in two easy steps. Plus, you'll probably already have some of the ingredients lying around in your kitchen.

"Even a small red cabbage seems to make enough to feed an army, but I can't see the point of leaving half a red cabbage lingering in the fridge," the chef says. "If you're feeding less than a crowd, just stash what you don't need in airtight containers in the deep freeze, ready to provide warm succour on cold winter nights."

Ingredients (Serves 8-10)

• Apple juice (750ml)
• Dried cranberries (150g)
• Fresh or frozen cranberries (250g)
• 1 small head of cabbage, sliced (800-900g)
• 1 large, or 2 small, red onions - peeled and sliced into 'think moons'
• 4tsp Maldon sea salt flakes
• 1/4 tsp ground gloves
• 2tbsp soft dark brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon

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The chef's recipe costs £1.05 per serving (nigella lawson/Instagram)

Method

• Add all the ingredients into a large, heavy-based pan that has a lid and give it a good mix. Bring to the boil over high heart. Stir again then let the cabbage 'bubble away' for around 10 minutes. Then, put the lid on and lower the heat.
• Let the cabbage simmer for 1 1/2-2 hours - until the vegetable is tender. Nigella recommends leaving the dish to stand for a while before serving to help 'thicken the juices the cabbage gives off as it cooks'.

Et voila! A simple way to elevate cabbage with a zingy punch. If you're prepping this dish ahead of the big day, don't cook the cabbage for as long as it will continue cooking when reheated.

What's your favourite part of a Christmas dinner? Let us know in the comments section below

Liam Gilliver