Molly Stevens’ Best Braised Cabbage with Chicken Apple Sausages

I love a good braise!  A co-worker picked up these below for me and I was wondering what I should do with them???

Then I came across this recipe and decided it was the one.  I made my own minor adaptations.  I browned the sausages and then tucked them in between the cabbage when the foil came off.

• 1 green cabbage, 2 lbs (mine was exact weight and was fairly small) 
• 4 carrots, cut in 1/4 inch rounds
• 1 large white onion 
• ¼ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup stock (I used low-sodium veggie)
• Sea salt (I used Fleur de sel), to taste
• Fresh cracked pepper, to taste
• Crushed red chili peppers, to taste
• Few dashes of balsamic vinegar (optional as it makes it resemble sauerkraut, so don't add if you don't want that taste)
• 4 browned sausages, of your choice

Preheat oven to 325°F.  Core the cabbage.

Cut into 8 wedges.  Peel carrots and slice.  Peel and slice the onion into 1/2 inch rings.  In a 9" x 13" baking dish, splash a little of the olive oil.  Season the cabbage wedges with S&P on both sides and place into the baking dish.  I smooshed the cabbage all around until the bottom of the dish was all coated in the oil.

Sprinkle the carrots and onions over the top.  Drizzle the remainder of the olive oil over the vegetables.  Pour ¼ cup stock into the bottom of the dish.

Cover tightly with foil.  Bake for 2 hours.  Check halfway through to see if it needs more stock.  Don't let it dry out.  Mine was fine and needed nothing.

After 2 hours, remove the foil and increase the oven heat to 425°F.  Flip cabbage over.  Add some balsamic vinegar and chili flakes.  (I put the sausage in at this time).

Bake until the cabbage and onions begin to caramelize and brown on top.  This was another 30 minutes for me.

Sprinkle a little salt and pepper to taste.  Plate it up.

If you like cabbage you will be over the moon with joy!  And, you have to try this dish if so.  Wow, this was amazing.  So sweet - almost candied, tender, seasoned perfectly, etc. etc. etc.  The onions were caramelized like you sauteed them in a butter to golden brown.  If you don't like cabbage, like my son, you will think it's okay and edible.  The sausage paired so well with this.  A+++ on this meal and it was about a $10 cost for the whole dish.

Update:  Mar 30, 2018:

I didn't think it was possible to taste any better, but the next day was even more excellent.  I ate it all.  I couldn't stop eating that cabbage, it was just that good.  I make this dish of ribs & sauerkraut slow cooked in the oven all day.  I will be doing this cabbage recipe instead next time.