Christmas Cabbage - JuleKal
Ingredients:
1 Whole white cabbage, cut into large chunks
1 Litre Whipping cream
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 - 1 cup butter
Salt & pepper
Method:
1. Cover the chopped cabbage with water and add salt
2. Boil for 5-10 minutes. Cabbage should remain crisp
3. Drain the cabbage
4. Place the cabbage in a clean pillowcase. Tie the top of the pillowcase.
5. Place the pillowcase (and cabbage) in the washing machine. Run the machine on the 'Spin cycle' ONLY. This removes moisture from the cabbage. (Alternatively you could use a salad spinner, or squeeze the juice out by wrapping the cabbage in a tea towel.
6. Push the cabbage through a meat grinder (or chop really finely)
7. Melt the butter in a large pan. Add cabbage and whipping cream (you may not want to use it all depending on the sizer of the cabbage). Add salt and pepper to taste
8. Add white vinegar
9. Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes (do not boil)
10. Serve with meat and other vegetables
11. Enjoy!
Inger’s Story
Inger was born in Denmark in 1930. She lived in an area called Jutland. This recipe for 'Christmas cabbage' was unique to that area of Denmark. Families would eat this Christmas cabbage at Christmas only, usually on Christmas day. Inger was the 6th of 7 children so she thinks that her older sister, Elsa, taught her how to make it.
Of course, back when Inger and Elsa were little, there were no washing machines to use, so they would squeeze the water out of the slightly cooked cabbage by wrapping the cabbage in a tea towel or cloth. Inger followed her big sister to Canada when she was 25 years old. When she first arrived in Montreal, she had a thin coat.
One day, shortly after arriving in Canada, it was so cold the wind literally ripped the buttons off her coat! Inger ended up again following her sister and her family, this time to Vancouver. Inger and her son travelled by train. As she was learning English, she couldn't read the menu, so she ordered toast and jam for every meal on the journey across Canada.
Inger struggled initially to find somewhere to live in Vancouver for her and her young son (aged 3). Her husband was away for 2 years working with the UN in Korea, so she appeared to be a 'single woman with a child'. This was not very acceptable at the time, and some people would believe that husbands were 'imaginary". Eventually a Scottish lady, who ran a boarding house allowed Inger and her son to stay there.
In the time they lived in that boarding house, Inger barely understood a word of her landlady's Scottish brogue! Inger made a wonderful life for herself and her family in Canada. She is a wonderful woman. A true beauty in every way. Enjoy her amazing, and very unique recipe, and think of this beautiful little girl eating 'Julekal' in Denmark nearly 90 years ago.