Like magic! The water from cooking red cabbage will dye boiled eggs a beautiful blue/aqua color. The depth of color will depend on how long you leave the eggs in the water. As a general guide, 30 minutes will yield a very pale blue, and soaking overnight will give a deep blue color.
You will need:
4 cups of red cabbage, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
4 cups of red cabbage, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
- Place 4 cups of roughly chopped fresh red cabbage into a large saucepan, cover with plenty of water, and bring to the boil.
- Reduce heat to a low simmer and allow to cook for 30 minutes.
- Strain, remove, and discard the cabbage.
- Stir 2 tablespoons white vinegar and 2 tablespoons salt into the hot cabbage water, set aside to cool to room temperature.
- For best results pour into tall jars.
- Hard-boil the eggs you wish to dye.
- Allow eggs to cool to room temperature.
- If you want a marbled effect, take 2 plastic sandwich bags, place over your hands like rubber gloves, then rub the bags over a block of butter. Scrunch the bags into the butter to get an uneven coating of butter on the bags.
- Now take 1 egg at a time (with the bags still on your hands) and pass the egg from hand to hand, randomly touching the egg gently with the buttery bags.
- Gently place the egg into the cabbage water jars and repeat with other eggs.
- For plain colored eggs, simply place into the cabbage water without butter.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove eggs when the desired intensity of color is reached.
- Place eggs onto wire racks to dry.
- Use eggs as decorations at your Easter celebration table.
TIP:
For best results use white or very light brown eggs. Growers markets or organic shops usually have white or paler eggs available.
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