Oh, did I love this Polish rendition of braised cabbage! Nothing complicated – red onion, red cabbage, apples and a bunch of little things (including lemon juice, ketchup and brown sugar) to give it some zesty flavor. It needs to simmer, very slowly, for at least 2 hours, so do plan ahead, but it takes little time to put it together.
The recipe came from a new cookbook, one I put on my Amazon wish list a month or so ago, and one of my daughters bought it for me for Christmas. It was a really nice surprise to open the package. I’ve written a separate post about the cookbook, that gives a lengthy overview of the recipes, the stories and why you should buy Recipes Remembered: A Celebration of Survival
So far, I’ve read about half the book. Each person remembered in the book is/was a survivor of the Holocaust. Their stories are so humbling to me. As a preface to each recipe or small group of recipes is a story about the person(s), interviewed directly, or written by adult children of the survivor(s). About how they escaped the death camps, how they met a spouse, about the DP camps in Italy, for instance. About how they managed the hard-scrabble life hiding in the depth of forests in Germany or Poland. As I sit here in my warm, comfortable kitchen, it’s hard for me to comprehend the horrors these Jewish families lived through.
This recipe was one I flagged right away, and it honors Helen Ptashnik (and her husband Henry Ptashnik) both from Stopnits (Stopnica), Poland. Their daughter tells the story about how they met in Israel at the end of the war. And about how Henry and his brother, as carpenters in one of the concentration camps, built a small hideaway in the barracks to hide some of the ill prisoners. Being ill and unable to work usually dealt a death sentence. The two brothers saved many lives. The Ptashniks actually met in Israel awhile after the war ended, and eventually emigrated to North America (I don’t know if they moved to Canada or the United States).
The Ptashnik’s daughter Meira Fleisch grew up with strong memories of this red cabbage side dish which graced many a holiday dining table. It’s a great recipe. And I’ve certainly made numerous renditions of braised cabbage over the years, but this one tops my list. There is nothing fancy or elegant about the dish – it’s just wonderful comfort food at its finest. It’s the additions that make it so good (honey, ketchup, brown sugar, tomato sauce, lemon juice). No doubt about it. And maybe it’s the long, slow cooking. It requires about 2 hours of very slow simmering. I was concerned that the cabbage would burn, but it didn’t. I used one of my Le Creuset Enameled Round Pots
One of the interesting nugget of information I got from this cookbook is that many recipes of this era, from Holocaust survivors include ketchup. Why? Because it was something they had. Many food items these strong souls didn’t have, but ketchup was available. So it’s often included in recipes where you might think it odd.
What I liked: the subtle, mellow flavors of it all. I could have eaten an entire plate of it and forgotten the delicious Italian sausage I served alongside it. It was that good. Although the different ingredients (cabbage, onions and apples) are still visible, they all meld into one very flavorful whole. Also note that the dish, to serve 8-9 has just 2 T. of oil in it. You might be able to do it with less, even. So, very healthy!
What I didn’t like: it’s not exactly the most beautiful of dishes – yes, it’s a purple cabbage color, but once it cooks awhile nearly every vegetable loses its vibrant color. Can’t be helped. So worth it, though.
printer-friendly PDF and MasterCook file (click link to open recipe)
Braised Red Cabbage and Apples (Helen Ptashnik’s)
Recipe By: From [Jewish] Recipes Remembered (cookbook); recipe credited to Helen Ptashnik)
Serving Size: 8-9
NOTES: This recipe came from a Polish immigrant, an Holocaust survivor, who came from Stopnits, Poland. Her daughter, Meira Fleisch, wrote the story about her parents’ escape from the death camps, about them settling in Italy, then Israel. She has fond memories of this onion-cabbage-apple dish on their family’s holiday table.
2 large red onions — thinly sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large red cabbage — about 2 pounds, shredded
1 tablespoon kosher salt
4 whole apples — Granny Smiths, Cortlands, or Macintoshes
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup tomato sauce
2 small tomato — pureed or finely diced (or one large one)
1/4 cup lemon juice — freshly squeezed (approx.)
1. Heat oil in a medium saucepan, cook and stir the onions, over medium heat, until just soft, about 10 minutes.
2. While the onions cook, shred the cabbage (or very finely slice). Add the cabbage to the pot and sprinkle with salt. Using tongs, toss the onions and cabbage so the salt is evenly distributed. Continue cooking unitl the cabbage has cooked down some and begun to release its liquid, about 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, peel and slice the apples. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a small bowl.
4. Add apples and the sauce to the pot, stir to combine, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Do not stir too vigorously or you will break down the apples. Season to taste with salt and pepper, or with more lemon juice if desired. Serve hot as a side dish.
Per Serving: 148 Calories; 4g Fat (21.7% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 847mg Sodium.
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