Although the decidedly plebeian cabbage plays an integral summer role—what would a backyard barbecue be without coleslaw, or a July 4 hot dog minus sauerkraut?—its hardiness makes it a cold-weather staple wherever it grows. With more vitamin C than its green and Savoy brethren, red cabbage is particularly valuable this time of year, when good winter salads, like the one Kurt Gutenbrunner serves at his new Blaue Gans, are few and far between.
Kurt Gutenbrunner’s Red-Cabbage Salad
1/4 head red cabbage
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon lingonberry jam (available at Dean & DeLuca)
1 teaspoon sugar
2 Golden Delicious apples
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 cup walnuts
Salt and pepper
(1) Slice red cabbage very thin on a mandoline.
(2) Mix with sherry vinegar, walnut oil, lingonberry jam, and sugar. Slice apples into thin discs. Lay five apple slices on each plate and sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent discoloration. Top with red-cabbage mixture and (3) sprinkle with walnuts. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serves 4 to 6.