The writeup of the Amish Friendship Bread saga is taking a bit longer than anticipated, primarily because it seems that everyone from Martha Stewart on up has something to say on the subject. While I try to sort out whether or not I should be worried about getting salmonella from starter that ferments on my countertop for 10 days, I’ll share with you a nice idea for red cabbage that I came up with on Sunday.
This recipe is a variation on Waldorf salad, a classic dish made with apples, raisins, celery, and walnuts with a mayonnaise-based dressing. I wanted to find a way to use a red cabbage and the 10 apples we bought in our efforts to save money by buying food we don’t need at a very low cost. Fred and I were pleased with the result. If you like Waldorf salad, you’ll enjoy this.
Red Cabbage Waldorf
Serves 4
1 tbsp. mayonnaise
1/4 cup fig preserves (preferably made with whole figs)
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 cups red cabbage, chopped
1 slightly sour apple (MacIntosh, Braeburn, Pink Lady, or similar), cored and chopped
1/4 c. chopped walnuts
Salt to taste
Puree mayonnaise, preserves, and vinegar in food processor. Put cabbage, apple, and walnuts into a bowl and pour dressing over top. Add salt to taste. Stir. Serve cold.
The Newlyfeds 
Another idea for red cabbage is to pair it with apples and cook them: I started out with butter in a skillet, like I do for fried apples. I added sliced apples and chopped red cabbage. After stirring a while, I sprinkled in some balsamic vinegar, put on a tight lid, and reduced the heat. After 10 minutes or so the cabbage was tender, so I took off the lid, tossed in some brown sugar, cooked a few minutes more, and Yum!
Joan, that sounds wonderful. I have a recipe for red cabbage and apples that is somewhat similar but very complicated and takes a while. So I definitely want to try this version. Thanks for sharing!
Joan, a couple of questions occurred to me the second after I posted:1) How much butter do you use per apple? (Approximation is just fine with me!)2) What kind of apples? I would think something on the tart side, but thought it a good idea to ask.Thanks!
1) I used about 1 1/2 to 2 Tablespoons of butter for a generous 2 cups of sliced apples and about the same amount of cabbage. This is a approximation. I usually don’t measure closely when I’m experimenting.2) Any apple that would work well for fried apples would work well here. It needs to keep its basic shape when cooked so you don’t end up with mush, and it should have some tartness. Traditionally some of my favorites are Winesaps and Staymans. For this recipe I used some I had on hand. Here’s the story: For Christmas I was given a class at Southern Season with Andrea Reusing of Lantern. She focuses on local ingredients. At each place in the classroom were 2 cute little local apples (I did not catch the variety name.) As I was leaving the classroom that night, I was struck by how many people were leaving the apples behind, so I filled my pockets as I left. That’s what I used with this recipe. I have also had happy results cooking with Pink Ladies.
Joan, that’s wonderful. I love Winesaps but have never tried Staymans. And Good for you for taking those apples!