Rødkål

The story

Braised red cabbage, the classic side for both ribbe and pinnekjøtt, cooks slowly with apples, red currant jelly or juice, and caraway until it turns almost translucent and a deep ruby red. As in the neighboring Scandinavian kitchens, its job is to cut through the fat of rich meat with acidity and sweetness, whether that means the crisp pork skin of ribbe or the smoked lamb of pinnekjøtt. The Norwegian version is often a little more tart than the Danish one, with the emphasis on caraway, a signature spice that underpins Norwegian cooking in general, akevitt included. Many families make it a day or two ahead, since the flavors only deepen in the refrigerator, and that practical shortcut is welcome in days crowded with preparations for a big meal. Modest as it is, rødkål is one of those dishes about which Norwegians hold strong, often inherited opinions: every family claims that its recipe, with exactly its amount of caraway, strikes the right balance.