Ah, cabbage. If there’s a poster food for the pandemic, it’s cabbage. Not only does one head of cabbage last an extremely long time in the fridge, but it’s extremely nutritious and good for you. Hell, it’s even good for dogs! Cabbage can do no wrong!!!!
Our go-to cabbage dish during quarantine was my sesame cabbage salad but this week I was craving mediterranean and the only vegetable we had in the fridge was…you guessed it….a head of green cabbage!!!! And that’s how I came up with this surprisingly delicious dish. Yes, it surprised me because it seemed too easy to taste this good.
I want to quickly note that if you don’t like lemon, you won’t like this salad! So all my lemon haters, feel free to make my cabbage with chorizo or my sesame cabbage salad instead, because this is not for you. If you’re wondering what it tastes like: we’ve got that crisp, crunchy cabbage that tastes zesty, acidic and bright from a blend of lemon and white wine vinegar. Of course we salt and dress with olive oil accordingly. And you better believe we add lemon zest on top for more lemony-ness!!!! Finally, to tie it all together and bring some depth of flavor, we mix in some za’atar which is a strong, beautiful Middle Eastern spice blend. The final (optional touch) is a drizzle of tahini on top or a dollop of hummus to add some creamy richness. In the photo below, I served it on a bed of hummus and topped it with my Mediterranean turkey meatballs. I know you can’t really *see* the salad, but it’s there and this is a winning combo that you must try!
Here’s the za’atar spice blend that I have. Tip for buying spices: buy them in bags so you don’t have to pay an extra $3 for packaging!
1 tbspwhite wine vinegarif you don't have this, you can skip or sub for more lemon juice
2tbsp olive oil
Zest of one lemon
1/8tspsalt
Za'atar to taste
Tahinifor topping, to taste
Directions
Line the sliced cabbage up on a cutting board and cut the slices horizontally two times, so that the pieces of cabbage are bite sized. (About 2 -3 inches each. It honestly doesn't matter, just make sure that you like the size of the cabbage slices because that's all that matters.)
Place the cabbage into a salad bowl or large mixing bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, lemon zest, white wine vinegar, olive oil and salt. Mix until combined and you've got yourself a vinaigrette!
Pour the vinaigrette on top of the cabbage and toss with freshly washed hands or tongs until it fully coats each piece of cabbage. Taste to make sure the acid, salt and oil levels are to your liking. Sometimes I like to add more lemon juice for an extra kick of brightness.
Sprinkle za'atar onto the salad and toss again, until the herbs are fully dispersed throughout.
Plate the salad however you like. Top with more za'atar and a drizzle of tahini. Feel free to also add lemon slices and lemon zest, but these are optional!
Dinner Party Menu
First on the menu is an outstanding pumpkin risotto with stracciatella, crispy sage, and shiitakes. Paired with it is a maple dijon pork tenderloin (or chicken thighs). For dessert, enjoy an apple cider bread pudding with creme anglaise and caramel.
Here’s the za’atar spice blend that I have. Tip for buying spices: buy them in bags so you don’t have to pay an extra $3 for packaging!
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