Braised Red Cabbage with Apples

My husband is not a cabbage fan, nor are my children. However, when the CSA share for the week includes a small red cabbage, it will appear on the menu in some form! This was delicious; my husband ate it as did one of my children. Weigh your cabbage at the store--you'd be surprised how small a 2-pound cabbage really is.

~From Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition

• 1 small head red cabbage (about 2 pounds), quartered, cored, and thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 slices bacon, diced, or 2 T. butter or vegetable oil
• 3 T. finely chopped onions
• 1 large green apple, peeled, cored, and cut into matchsticks (I didn't peel it)
• 3 T. red wine vinegar
• 2 T. honey
• 1/4 t. salt if bacon is used, or 1 teaspoon if butter or oil is used
• 1/8 t. caraway seeds (I left out)

1. Immerse cabbage in a bowl of cold water.
2. In a large nonreactive skillet or Dutch oven, cook bacon over low heat until fat is rendered (alternately, melt the butter). 
3. Add onions to skillet and cook over medium-low heat until golden.
4. Lift cabbage out of the water with a slotted spoon and add to the skillet along with remaining ingredients.
5. Cover pan and cook over medium-low heat until cabbage is very soft (30 minutes-1 1/2 hours), adding boiling water during cooking if needed. I cooked mine about 45 minutes and thought it was great. The cookbook actually says 1-1 1/2 hours.... I also didn't need to add any water.

~Serves 4