Braised Red Cabbage

Serves 8

• 3 1/2 lb red cabbage (1 medium head), quartered, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise
• 4 bacon slices, chopped
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced
• 2 apples, grated
• 1/2 cup white-wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons honey

Rinse cabbage under cold water and drain but don’t dry. Cook the bacon in a 6-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring, until crisp, about 3 minutes. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon and add butter to bacon fat and cook onions, stirring, until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in cabbage, apples, vinegar, salt, and pepper and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 1 1/4 hours. Stir in honey and reserved bacon, and adjust seasonings to taste.

*Recommended pairing: Mustard Rubbed Pork Loin. I used this recipe as a base, rubbing the pork loin, inside and out, with a mixtures of 3 tablespoons grainy mustard, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 6 cloves minced garlic, salt, pepper and a bit of thyme.