Autumn pleasure: red cabbage recipe from Kirchenwirt Puch

Autumn is wild!

Autumn is here in all its glory! The colorful leaves fall from the trees in the wind and in the inns and restaurants, regionally cooked in the cozy parlors are appropriate for the season. Because autumn is not only time for hiking and harvest, but also time for enjoyment! The local variety of fruit and vegetables is currently huge and seasonal products such as apples, pumpkins, cabbage and chestnuts come straight from the tree or from the field into the kitchen.

The game is also in season now and can be found on the menus in the restaurants in Puch! From roast venison to venison ragout and pheasant breast, there is sure to be something for every gourmet. From November there will also be delicious goose from the Moosbauer in Puch! And what goes best with game and shouldn"t be missing from any game dish in Austria? Exactly, a wonderful, steaming portion of red cabbage or also called red cabbage!

And it is precisely this delicious herb that I am taking a closer look at today and have looked into the cooking pots for you at the Hotel Gasthof Kirchenwirt. Of course there is also the family recipe for the "Rotkraut vom Kirchenwirt" for you.

Red cabbage remains red cabbage ...

... and the bride`s dress remains the bride"s dress! You know this train breaker, don"t you? Say it in quick succession and see how well you can pronounce it!

But is it a red cabbage or a blue cabbage that we are talking about here in Puch in the SalzburgerLand? Before I tell you the delicious recipe from the Kirchenwirt, an explanation of the terms for the first time.

How do you say Red cabbage (Rotkraut), blue cabbage (Blaukraut) or even red cabbage (Rotkohl)? All three have a few points in common with the other cabbage such as white cabbage, pointed cabbage and savoy cabbage: they are closely related and are an important supplier of vitamin C, especially now in autumn. Cabbage (Kraut) and cabbage (Kohl) can also be stored particularly well over the winter. But what is the difference between ...

... Blautkraut, Rotkraut or Rotkohl?

The answer lies in the regionality and in the preparation! Depending on the region, the purple-colored relative of the white cabbage is known by a different but similar name. In northern Germany, where people generally speak of cabbage (Kohl) and the soils are rather acidic, it is a red cabbage (Rotkohl). In central and southern Germany, as well as here in Austria, where you don"t eat cabbage (Kohl) but the cabbage (Kraut), there is often a bit of disagreement as to whether a red cabbage or blue cabbage is served. No wonder, the color of the cabbage is actually purple - a mixture of blue and red.

In any case, when it comes to the wording, whether red cabbage or blue cabbage, it does not depend on the more alkaline soil, which makes the cabbage grow more bluish, but more on the preparation. If the purple cabbage is prepared with acidic foods such as vinegar and sour apples, it stays red - a ROTKRAUT. If you use little or no acid but more sugar in the preparation, the original purple color is retained and one speaks of BLAUKRAUT.

Since the Kirchenwirt has had sour apples and vinegar in the recipe for years, red cabbage is also served here and you can now get the delicious recipe for it!

The perfect preparation of Kirchenwirt`s red cabbage

If you are not hungry yet, you will get it at the latest when you open the doors at the Kirchenwirt. The magical smells from the inn kitchen whet the appetite for enjoyable hours in the cozy parlors. This time the smell of venison sauce and freshly cooked red cabbage is in the air, no wonder, the popular game weeks are also taking place at the moment.

So I go to the kitchen for you and let Kirchenwirt Christian Rettenbacher tell me the recipe for the perfect red cabbage.

Ingredients for the shopping list

For 8 servings of red cabbage

2 red cabbage (approx. 4 kg) | 460 ml apple cider vinegar | 2 teaspoons cloves, ground | 4 pinches of cinnamon | 4 pinches coriander, ground | 1 teaspoon pepper, ground | Salt, sugar | 4 red onions | 4 apples | 4 tbsp butter | 4 bay leaves | 600 ml red wine, dry | 300 ml orange juice

Preparation of the cabbage:

1. Put the bay leaves, cloves and cinnamon in a spice bag.
2. Halve the cabbage, remove the stalk and slice with a slicer.
3. Peel, core and roughly grate the apple.
4. Mix the cabbage, apples, vinegar, apple juice, wine and lingonberries in a saucepan and add the spice sack.
5. Let the pot stand overnight.
6. Melt the butter and sugar in a large saucepan and caramelize lightly.
7. Peel the onion, cut into thin strips and sauté in a saucepan
8. Add the red cabbage and mix in.
9. Deglaze with red wine and orange juice and let cook with the lid closed and low heat for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
10. Remove the spice sack, season with salt and pepper.

Red cabbage with game and goose

You don"t feel like cooking or it is taking too long for you to be able to make the perfect red cabbage. Then off to the Kirchenwirt. You can get the tasty red cabbage with the game dishes during the game weeks until October 31 and then during the goose days from November 4 to 21, 2021.

Wine recommendation for red cabbage from Döllerer

As with game, an elegant red wine goes well with red cabbage. Alexander Koblinger, Master Sommelier from Weinhaus Döllerer recommends the "Red Mosaic by Alexander Egermann". "With its velvety structure, it goes perfectly with the acidity of the red cabbage. But the elegant and ripe fruit aromas of the mosaic also complement the earthy tones of the herb." The best thing to do is to order a glass for your next Rotraut dish at the Kirchenwirt, you will see how well it goes well with your dish.

Autumn time in the Salzburg inn

In keeping with the game weeks and goose days, the Kirchenwirt is lovingly decorated every year by senior boss August Rettenbacher - alias Kirchenwirt Gusti - for autumn. You can see his attention to detail. Colorful arrangements, old hiking boots and the materials collected from the forest, which were collected together with grandchild Xaver, make the autumn enjoyment at the Kirchenwirt perfect.

The whole Rettenbacher family lends a hand at the Kirchenwirt. Every helping hand is needed, especially at larger events and at the GenussWochen, and all Rettenbachers lend a hand - even the youngest are looking forward to your visit.

Good luck and have fun cooking at home! If you put pictures of your homemade Kirchenwirt`s Rotkraut on Facebook or Instagram, just link us - we look forward to your results. Or would you prefer to be pampered with culinary delights at the Kirchenwirt? Then the best thing to do is to reserve a table at 06245/83134 and enjoy the seasonal dishes with game and goose in Puch.

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