German Warm Cabbage Salad (Krautsalat)

Smoked bacon, similar to Italian pancetta, is included in nearly every vegetable dish in Germany and this salad is no exception. Another typical ingredient in Krautsala is caraway seeds: a distant relative of cumin, they give southern German dishes a very distinctive aroma. They also aide digestion, which is always helpful. You could also use dill seed or celery seed instead of the caraway. Garlic is optional. Some German Krautsalat recipes do not have garlic at all.

Enjoy with a nice Bockwurst or othe German sausage.

1 cabbage, shredded
1⁄4 lb bacon
2 cups onions, chopped
1⁄2 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons minced garlic
salt and pepper
1 - 2 tsp. caraway seed

Cut the bacon into tiny bits. Fry it in a big deep frying pan and fish out all the bits after they are crisp.

Cut up the onion and garlic and fry them in the bacon fat. When they are brown, pour in the vinegar.

Bring it just up to a simmer, add all the cabbage and bacon, toss it as you would a salad. The cabbage doesn't cook, but it wilts a little under the hot vinegar.

Season with salt and pepper and the caraway seeds. Before serving, adjust the seasoning if necessary by adding vinegar, salt or pepper.

8 servings