In this charred cabbage, grape and olive salad, high heat is applied to the surface while leaving the insides of the vegetables raw. It features a vinaigrette made with olives and grapes.
In this charred cabbage, grape and olive salad, high heat is applied to the surface while leaving the insides of the vegetables raw. It features a vinaigrette made with olives and grapes.
Photos by Marianne Sundquist/For The New Mexican
Charred cabbage, grape and olive salad
Marianne Sundquist/For The New Mexican
Ingredients for charred cabbage, grape and olive salad.
Warm weather is on the way, but until then, I am an all-in advocate for charred and warm salads.
Some might argue that because heat is applied to the cabbage, fennel and shallots, a recipe like this has left salad territory. But you’ll notice this is a salad where high heat is applied to the surface while leaving the insides of the vegetables raw. Where have I heard of this before? Oh, that’s right, much like one of the oldest ways to order a steak; I guess I’ll take my vegetables in early spring the same way — black and blue (also called Pittsburgh style).
When thinking about this recipe, I started with cabbage because it is uniquely positioned in the vegetable world to be as delightful raw (sweet and crunchy) as it is cooked (silky and buttery). I can’t help but think of cabbage as the vegetable equivalent to a clown car, where a single cabbage is often so dense with leaves, once you start slicing it, the cups of cabbage just keep coming.
