Wanting to experiment with new combinations, I recently invited a few friends over for a salad tasting party. Surprisingly, the fan favorite turned out to be one with shredded cabbage as the base. Mid-meal, a friend who dislikes cabbage said, “I usually hate cabbage but this is the best salad here.” I agreed and we both quickly reached for second helpings. Ever since that gathering, I get requests to bring my cabbage salad to barbeques and dinner parties.
This salad is equal parts juicy and refreshing. Using crunchy and finely shredded cabbage as a base, freshly diced jalapenos are added for a kick. Leeks and lime juice give it zest and tartness. The salad is finished with cilantro on top. Customize your level of heat with more or fewer jalapenos. Serve as a side salad with the grilled lime chicken or stuff it into tacos and wow any dinner guest.
- 1 head of cabbage, finely shredded
- 3 medium leeks
- 2 jalapenos, diced
- ½ bunch of cilantro, chopped
- 5-6 limes, juiced
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Cut and remove the stem and core of the cabbage. Clean and slice the cabbage in half and slice each half to create quarters. Thinly slice into small strips.
- Use just the white and a small portion of green parts only of the leeks. Carefully clean the leeks by peeling the layers apart under a stream of water, and cut them into thin rounds.
- Halve the jalapenos and remove the seeds. Dice into small pieces.
- Add cabbage, leeks and jalapenos into a large bowl.
- Combine the lime juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper into a smaller bowl and whisk together.
- Drizzle the salad with the dressing, top with cilantro and serve.
