Christmas Spiced Red Cabbage

This has long been a festive family favourite of Colin and Bex. Now they finally reveal the recipe for their take on spiced red cabbage…

“For us, this conjures up all the smells and tastes we love at Christmas: the sweetness of the port, the richness of the lardons, and the familiar aroma of the festive spices. A classic but often overlooked side dish, this deserves its place in any Christmas dinner.”
— COLIN MCGURRAN, CHEF PATRON

INGREDIENTS

1 whole red cabbage
5 thick bacon rashers
3 carrots peeled & chopped finely
4 cooking apples peeled & chopped finely
2 whole cloves or a teaspoon of ground cloves
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon of ground ginger
5 cardamom pods
Pinch of paprika
A good shot of port
A good shot of red wine vinegar
25g butter
Salt & pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Finely chop the cabbage and dice the bacon into lardons
2. Fry the bacon lardons in a little oil until lightly golden
3. Add the rest of the ingredients and forget about it
4. Leave to simmer for 45 mins to 1 hour
5. Add salt (if needed) and pepper to taste