GLUTEN-FREE CABBAGE SALADS
The success of these salads depends upon using very fresh cabbage and finding the real deal when it comes to the Japanese and Spanish elements of the ingredient lists. It shouldn’t be too difficult though as many ingredients are now available in regular food stores.
The Japanese Cabbage Salad is great with barbequed meats, fish, and chicken; and the Spanish Cabbage Salad makes a great addition to a tapas selection or as a side to a main.
In fact, both are delicious just on their own – I’m happy eating a big bowl of either for a healthy lunch.
Caren
JAPANESE CABBAGE SALAD
Serves 4-6
½ small savoy or purple cabbage or 1 sugar loaf
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon each of white and black sesame seeds, dry toasted in a small pan
1 cup Japanese-style mayonnaise, or more or less to taste (yes, we use Kewpie or similar)
1 teaspoon yuzu koshu, or a teaspoon green Tabasco, or more to taste
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cooking sake
Sea salt if required
Remove and discard outer leaves and any thick ribs from the cabbage then shred as finely as possible.
Set aside in a large bowl then add the parsley and most of the seeds, leaving some to sprinkle over when serving.
Combine the mayonnaise, yuzu koshu, sesame oil and sake in a small bowl then toss it through the cabbage mixture.
Yuzu koshu can be salty so taste before adding any salt.
TIPS:
The separate steps of shredding the cabbage, chopping the parsley, toasting the seeds and combining the mayonnaise mixture can all be done well ahead of time, ready to be tossed together just before serving.
Yuzu koshu is a green chilli and yuzu condiment.
SPANISH CABBAGE SALAD
Serves 4-6
1 sugar loaf cabbage, approximately 450gm
100 gm Manchego, we like to use cheese aged for 12 months
½ cup blanched almonds
2 tablespoons currants
1 tablespoon Jerez vinegar
1 tablespoon boiling water
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Remove and discard outer leaves and any thick ribs from the cabbage then shred as finely as possible. Place in a large bowl and set aside.
Grate the Manchego as finely as possible. We use a fine microplane that provides a fluffy result.
Dry toast the almonds in a small frying pan until nicely coloured. When cool enough to handle, cut the almonds, vertically if possible, into slivers. (Instead of toasting and cutting you could use store-bought slivered and roasted almonds.)
In a small bowl, combine the currants, vinegar and hot water, setting it aside to macerate for at least 10 minutes.
When ready to serve drain the currants and keep the liquid separately. Combine the cabbage, almonds, drained currants and Manchego with the oil, salt and pepper. Add some of the macerating liquid to provide a light dressing but don’t drown the cabbage. Toss gently to combine then transfer to a serving platter.
TIPS:
The separate steps of shredding the cabbage, grating the cheese, toasting the almonds and macerating the currants can all be done well ahead of time, ready to be tossed together just before serving.