Most sweet and sour red cabbage recipes on the Internet seem to contain bacon, apple, white onion and a mix of brown sugar and red wine vinegar. My version can be vegetarian - just cook the onion in olive oil rather than duck fat - and I have kept it all in the same color palate: red onion, cabbage, cherries from the freezer to play the part of the apple and balsamic vinegar rather than sugar and vinegar. This is - if I say so myself - pretty damn good.
Made about 8 portions, using a large head of red cabbage
1 head red cabbage, cored, halved and finely chopped
1/2 red onion, sliced into thin half moon slices
1 cup chopped pitted cherries, frozen is fine
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup red wine
2 tsps honey
1 Tbsp duck fat
3 sprigs thyme
Salt to taste
Melt the duck fat in a large pan over medium heat, or heat the oil.
Add the sliced onion and some salt and cook until the onion is soft, stirring constantly so that it does not burn, for a couple of minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to combine with the onions. Cover the pan and lower the heat.
Cook for 20 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the cabbage is tender.
Check fr seasoning and add more salt, honey or vinegar if needed according to your taste.