Why it works: Red wine and clove work together. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 849 recipes. Both carry ethyl cinnamate, which smells sweet, balsamic. The science ↓
Red Cabbage
Ingredients
Directions
Prepare
Wash and finely shred the cabbage.
In a large skillet, toss the shredded cabbage with the cranberries.
Cook
Combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
Pour the mixture over the cabbage.
Simmer until the cabbage and berries are tender.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
Counts 5 of 6 ingredients. The other 1 aren't in our nutrition table and add nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume: 5 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Broccoli | 1 cup chopped (156g) | 55 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Lemon | juice of 1 lemon (48ml) | 12 |
| Cloves | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Vinegar | 1 tbsp (15ml) distilled | 3 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Photo for illustrative purposes only · Contact us to use it
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
-
Red wine + clovetop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together849 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl cinnamate (sweet, balsamic).
-
Lemon + clovetop 10% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together8,150 recipes
Shared aroma: eucalyptol (eucalyptus, herbal).
-
Red wine + vinegartop 10% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together575 recipes
Shared aroma: sotolon (curry, maple).
-
Cabbage + clovetop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together933 recipes
Shared aroma: ethyl octanoate (fruity, wine).
-
Cabbage + vinegartop 13% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together2,924 recipes
Shared aroma: 4'-methylacetophenone (bitter almond).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Red cabbage
- Provides the bulk of the dish and becomes tender as it simmers.
- Cranberries
- Add tart fruitiness and juice that moistens the cabbage as it cooks.
- Red wine vinegar
- Adds acidity that brightens flavor and helps the cabbage keep its red color.
- Brown sugar
- Balances the acidity of the vinegar and cranberries with sweetness.
The step that matters
Simmer until the cabbage and berries are tender. Simmering too briefly leaves the cabbage tough and the cranberries unsoftened, while long cooking can turn it mushy. Checking for tenderness tells you when the cabbage has softened and the flavors have blended.
Swap the cabbage
How well each one fits the dish's main ingredients (red wine, vinegar, sugar, lemon, clove):
- Shallotfits better
- Capsicumfits better
- Mustardfits better
- Cabbagethe original
Fit is the average pairing score against red wine, vinegar, sugar, lemon, clove. Candidates are from the same food group and used in at least 100 recipes.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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