German: Rotkohl (Red Cabbage)
Recipe by Kayla Lammy <klamm3@illinois.edu>
(serves 8)

Ingredients:
- 2 slices of ½-inch thick cut bacon or about 5-6 slices of regular cut bacon
- 1 large onion (diced)
- 1 large red cabbage (shredded, about 8-10 cups)
- 2 sweet apples, shredded with a grater (Gala works well)
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup unsweetened apple juice
- 1 cup water, plus more if needed
- ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed)
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon lingonberry jam (optional)
- 2 juniper berries (optional)
Procedure:
- Fry bacon until crispy in the bottom of a large stock pot or dutch oven
- While bacon is frying, dice onion
- Remove bacon and set aside; reserve about 2 Tbsp of the bacon grease in the bottom of the pan
- Add diced onion and sauté until soft (about 5 minutes on medium-low heat)
- While the onion is cooking, quarter cabbage head and slice ~½-inch strips from the top of each quartered section to the root
- Add the shredded cabbage to the pot and stir
- Grate apples (with skin on) and add to pot; stir
- Chop cooked bacon into bite-sized pieces and add back to the pot
- Add vinegar, apple juice, water, sugar, and stir
- Add cloves, bay leaf, and optional jam and juniper berries; bring to a boil
- Reduce heat to a low, cover pot with a lid, and let cabbage simmer for about 50 minutes (it should become soft, but not mushy)
- Season with salt and pepper (to taste)
- Adjust seasoning and sweetness level as desired and serve hot