Colorful, peppery red cabbage brightens up gray days — just don't turn it blue

Now that our trees are bare, I want foods with bright colors and bold tastes. Red cabbage, with its magenta hues and peppery crunch, fits the bill.

Because red cabbage takes longer to mature in the field, it's not as tender as the earlier green varieties. Now at farmers markets and in co-ops, look for heavy heads with no wilted or discolored leaves. Weighing in at about 4 pounds, the average red cabbage will make at least four dishes. It's extremely economical and will keep, stored in the refrigerator in a plastic bag, for at least 10 days. The pretty red heads are packed with fiber, vitamin K and vitamin C. Like blueberries, red cabbage contains anthocyanins, phytochemicals that some experts believe may have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

When it comes to cooking, red cabbage can be a challenge. It tends to turn blue when simmered in tap water that often contains alkaline minerals. To counter this, add at least a teaspoon of acid — lemon juice, vinegar, wine — to the pot. My German grandmother's trick was to toss the cabbage with vinegar first.

The best way to prepare a head of cabbage is to cut it in half from pole to pole and remove the triangular-shaped core in each half with a sharp knife. For a slaw, slice the halves into thin ribbons. If braising or searing, cut the cabbage into larger chunks. Every year around this time, I look forward to my grandmother's recipe for a warm red cabbage salad. Sharp, peppery and sweet, it's perfect with grilled sausages or a wild rice pilaf.

Serves 4 to 6.

To keep red cabbage from turning blue, toss it with vinegar before cooking. Finished with mustard seeds and maple syrup, this dish is delicious served warm or at room temperature. From Beth Dooley.

• 5 c. red cabbage (approximately 1 lb.), cut into 2-in. chunks

• 1/4 c. cider vinegar, to taste

• 3 tbsp. hazelnut or olive oil

• 1 small shallot, diced

• 1 fennel bulb, sliced

• 2 tart apples, cored and diced

• 1 tsp. mustard seeds, to taste

• 1 tbsp. maple syrup, to taste

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a medium bowl, toss the red cabbage with the vinegar.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the shallot, fennel and apples and cook until the shallots and fennel are limp and apples start to soften, about 3 minutes. Toss in the cabbage with the vinegar and cook until the cabbage is just wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the mustard seeds, a drizzle of maple syrup, and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, stirring to combine. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Beth Dooley is the author of "The Perennial Kitchen." Find her at bethdooleyskitchen.com.