Simple Cabbage Salad

I'm sure you have read by now about the super-food qualities of the cabbage. Not only is cabbage a great source of fiber, protein, beta-carotene, iron, potassium and vitamis B1, B6, and C, but it is also high in antioxidants, which protect against heart disease and cancer. The health benefits go on and on, but what it comes down to is that nothing beats the way this veggie tastes sprinkled with a little salt and drenched in the finest olive oil!

Cabbage is considered a winter vegetable and back before the Greeks had their greenhouses to supply them with juicy tomatoes and crisp cucumbers all year long, the cabbage salad was winter's answer to summer's Horiatiki, or Greek, salad. To this day, the Greeks still eat very seasonally, so when the temperature and leaves begin to drop, this is the salad you'll find on nearly every taverna table.

Cabbage Salad

1 firm head of white/green cabbage
2 carrots
Olive Oil
White Balsamic Vinegar
Sea Salt

With the cabbage salad, it's all about how you cut the cabbage. So to begin, be sure to select a firm, good looking cabbage from your grocer. Peel and discard the first outer layers and rinse the cabbage under water. Next, cut the cabbage in half vertically from top to base so you have two equal-looking halves. Leave one half out to chop and store the other in the fridge to use down the road when you get the cabbage craving. Now this is essential - using a good sharp knife, begin to slice strips as thin as possible. Again, be sure to cut vertically so that the top of your knife is at the top of the cabbage and the bottom of your knife is at the base. Slicing cabbage this thin does take some patience, but trust me, it will not taste the same if you cut it too thick. When finished, place sliced cabbage in a bowl.

Next, peel two medium-sized carrots. I like to use a carrot peeler to first discard the outer layer of the carrot, then continue to peel the carrots, using the same peeler, into the bowl with the cabbage.

Finally, pour your favorite olive oil* all over the salad, then sprinkle the white balsamic vinegar and salt to taste. You can also try a fruit vinegar such as apple or pear, but never red balsamic, it's just too overpowering for this salad. Again, I like to use quite a bit of oil in this salad to have extra at the bottom for bread dipping. Also, don't fear the salt on this one - cabbage takes it well.

*Because cabbage has a sweet, mild flavor, I like to compliment this salad with an Arbequina varietal from Spain. This oil has a smooth, sweet taste with nodes of apple and tomato, with a mild peppery finish.