“Salad” is an idea that probably doesn’t cross your mind too much in the winter. It is not hot and the body does not require much coolness, which is why it is only used on days of regret after the excesses of the Christmas holidays. However, there’s not much real reason to disdain them: thanks to an invention called heating, it’s not like it’s five degrees inside the house, and right now we have a few seasonal vegetables that lend themselves to being eaten raw.
Salad can also serve a fat-reducing function in Christmas meals. It’s not that it will magically lose weight (and it doesn’t have to), but it can provide a very pleasant juicy and crunchy contrast that balances out other, heavier dishes, like lamb, roast meats, and other common party bombs.
In addition to freshness, salads add color to Christmas tables, as long as you look for combinations of elements that, in addition to being good, also look cool. In this recipe you have the crunch of red cabbage, Chinese cabbage (replaceable with any other cabbage) and carrot, the slightly acidic sweetness of the apple, the juice of the pomegranate and the creaminess of the cheese, each with a different color. And the dressing? This type of ingredient goes well with creaminess, but not too much: it’s about keeping the salad a certain lightness, not making a typical coleslaw.
This salad can be modified as you wish: you can change the apple with orange (or add half and half), add other winter vegetables (beets, broccoli cooked al dente), and adjust the vinaigrette to your liking, eliminating the yogurt or replacing it with sour cream or mayonnaise. The important thing is to maintain the balance between crunchy, creamy and juicy components. And the color of course.
Time: 20 minutes
Difficulty: Salads are usually very complicated
Ingredients
For 4 people
- 150 g red cabbage
- 150 g Chinese cabbage (or any other cabbage)
- 1 medium carrot
- 1/2 red apple
- 1/2 pomegranate
- 40 g mixture of seeds, chopped nuts, raisins and dried cranberries (or other similar mixture)
- 75 g of cebreiro, feta or any other cheese that crumbles well
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Bandage
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon of yogurt
- 1 teaspoon of honey
- 1/2 clove of garlic (optional)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or sweet white wine
- Olive oil
- Black pepper
- Salt
Instructions
Cut the red cabbage and Chinese cabbage into thin strips using a mandolin or knife.
Peel and grate the carrot.
Remove the seeds from the pomegranate.
Prepare the vinaigrette by mixing the mustard, yogurt, vinegar, grated garlic, honey, salt and black pepper. Gradually add four tablespoons of oil while stirring.
Cut the apple half in half and remove the skin and core. Cut it into thin slices.
In a large bowl, combine the red cabbage, bok choy, carrot, apple, parsley, half the pomegranate and half the seed and nut mixture. Add the vinaigrette, mix well with clean hands, taste and adjust with salt and vinegar. Add half of the cheese and mix gently.
Transfer everything to the container where the salad will be served and cover with the remaining pomegranate, crumbled cheese, seed and nut mixture and a little oil.
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