A Very German Meal

My grandma passed on her recipe for red cabbage to my mother, who just recently shared with me the secret to one of my favorite comfort foods. This side traditionally, in my family, accompanies roast beef and baked macaroni and cheese. But I decided to go a different route, the German route.

First, for the red cabbage (or "rotkohl" in German): thinly slice a head of red cabbage and add to a big pot with olive oil and cook on medium-high heat for a few minutes. Add salt, pepper, and lots of vinegar (my grandma used white, I used red wine as it was all I had in my apartment) to the pot and turn the heat to medium-low, allowing the cabbage to braise in the liquid and get soft; this takes about 30-35 minutes. Taste and add sugar if desired to balance the acidity of the vinegar.

I served this with boiled weisswurst (veal sausage) and a roll. It reminded me of being back in Germany, and warmed my heart with memories of Grandma.