My mom grew some exceptionally delicious cabbages this year. I´ve been making crunchy salads and flavorful stews with it. I love this versatile vegetable! And it´s rather affordable in stores too. Before the 19-th century in Estonia, cabbages were stored outside in a pile or between fences and then cut with an axe during the winter time. I have made quite a few tasty cabbage recipes before. You can find them HERE! And if you are into raw salads, check out this popular post HERE! These salads are just perfect to make during the fall and winter seasons! But this juicy cabbage salad is a real hit in our household, so I decided to write down the recipe.
Bell peppers and celery sticks haven´t been my favorite. But I have grown to love them! A lot! They have a fantastic taste and texture, especially when used in proper quantities. And our little toddler eats bell peppers as they were apples. It´s very important that you give the cabbage in this recipe a proper rubbing and mashing, so it becomes juicy and tender. One half of an apple is just right to give this dish some acidity and color, if you leave the peel on. This salad is extra delicious, if you let it set before serving.
Time: 10 - 15 minutes
Serves: one large bowl, enough for a bigger family, or store in a cold place and serve later
- 2 big handfuls of cauliflower florets (1 ½ cup / 170 g grated)
- ¼ of a bigger head cabbage (about 1 pound / 450 g)
- half a tsp salt
- ground black pepper to taste
- 1 large celery stick
- half of a medium apple
- ¼ of a red bell pepper
- ¼ of a green bell pepper (or more of the red one)
- 5 heaping Tbsp your favorite mayonnaise (homemade version HERE!)
- (chopped fresh dill or celery greens for garnish)
Tip! This salad is also wonderful with some fresh cucumber, nuts and seeds. You can grate your cabbage instead of cutting, if you want a softer version.
Directions:
Take a large salad bowl. Grate the cauliflower in it. Slice the cabbage into thin strips and add it to the bowl. Add salt and pepper. Now rub and mash the cabbage with your hands and fists, so it becomes more tender and juicier. Cut the celery stick lengthwise into half and slice thinly. Add to the bowl. Remove apple core but don´t peel it. Cut the apple into small pieces and add to the bowl. Cut bell peppers into small cubes and add them to the bowl. Now mix in the mayonnaise. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if needed. Add some fresh dill or celery garnish, if you wish. Serve or store in a cool place.
