A traditional recipe to fight the arctic temperatures.  It pairs well with duck and pheasant, with potato gratin, gnocchi  and mashed potatoes. Or simply on its own, just the buttery cabbage with the sweet aromatic apple.

Flemish red cabbage

1 red cabbage
2 tablespoons aceto balsamico
salt and pepper

 2 generous tablespoons soft butter to spread onto the pan 

2 apples

a heavy pan with a heavy , well closing lid. 

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

Quarter the cabbage, remove the white core. Cut the cabbage in fingerthick stripes.
Butter the pan generously, bottom and sides.

In a large bowl combine the cabbage with salt, pepper and balsamic vinegar. Immediately (before it starts releasing any liquid), transfer the cabbage to the buttered pan, close the lid  and put it into the oven. Cook for 2 hours.

Cut the apples in halves, remove the core and sprinkle with icing sugar. Remove the cabbage from the oven and place the apple halves onto it. Cook in the oven for another 1/2 hour.