I feel like I‘ve been stalked this dish for decades, ever since first tasting a simply version of it in an Alsatian-style brasserie that made it as far as the big city of Paris. It remains one of my go-to favorites for homestyle dining in the dead of winter.
3-4 slices thick-cut bacon
4 links bratwurst
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup dry white wine (suggest: dry German or Alsatian riesling)
1 onion, sliced
¾ cup matchstick-cut carrots
1 head green or red cabbage, or combination
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
¼ cup balsamic rice vinegar
½ cup sugar (more if desired)
Creole seasoning to taste
¾ tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
In a large pot with a lid, brown the bacon and the bratwurst, rendering the flavorful fat, in the olive oil. Remove the bratwurst and the bacon slices to drain on a paper towel. Crumble the bacon. Over medium-high heat, deglaze the pot by pouring in about half the wine and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom. Just before the wine has evaporated, stir in the onion and carrots, cooking until the onion turns golden. Then add the cabbage and stir together.
As soon as cabbage has started to cook, pour in the vinegars (using only either one is okay, but they are better together), along with the remaining wine and the sugar. Stir in the crumbled bacon. Bring to a boil. Season with all the remaining ingredients. Cover the pot, lower the heat and simmer until cabbage is tender, about 20 minutes. Add more sugar is desired. Serve 1 link of bratwurst – reheated in the cabbage when ready – on each plate with a mound of the cabbage. Also, a mixture of jasmine and wild rice can be excellent with this spooned over the top. Serves 4.
Note: For a different but equally wonderful flavor, substitute Shiner Bock for that Riesling. The German-Czech-rooted town of Shiner, Texas, produces some of the best bratwurst I’ve ever tasted, so using beer might be the proper recognition.
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