Vinaigrette adds pep to a standard cabbage slaw
Cooking from nature is the theme at the Vancouver restaurant Burdock & Co and it need not be complicated or involve a hunt for exotic wild foods.
This colourful slaw was originally called “amazing” by its inventor and the dressing got the credit — a peppy vinaigrette made with cider vinegar, maple syrup and a shot of tamari.
It’s one of more than 90 recipes in the handsome cookbook Burdock & Co: Poetic Recipes Inspired by Ocean, Land and Air, by the restaurant’s chef Andrea Carlson (Appetite by Random House, $35).
Simple twists turn familiar food into something new, such as parsnip and potato latkes, chicken fried with charred chili vinegar, fiddleheads with a hazelnut dressing.
The glossary of ingredients is a good read. Many of the plants, flowers and seasonings might be new to city folk, but some are familiar, such as chickweed, purslane, nasturtiums and tuberous begonias.
A number of recipes in the book are time-consuming, involving mini-recipes as ingredients. Brave or experienced cooks will be able to cut corners, eliminating, for example, the roasted pumpkin seeds you make to top off this salad.
A mandoline makes cabbage slicing easy, or you can use the slicing attachment on a food processor.
RED AND GREEN CABBAGE SALAD
Serves: 6
■ Roasted pumpkin seeds (see recipe) or toasted pine nuts Pumpkin seed vinaigrette (see recipe)
■ 2 cups (500 ml) thinly sliced green cabbage (1/2 small head)
■ 2 cups (500 ml) thinly sliced red cabbage (1/2 small head)
■ 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) torn fresh mint leaves
■ 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) torn fresh Thai basil leaves (other types of basil may be used)
■ 1 cup (250 ml) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
■ 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1. Prepare the roasted pumpkin seeds and vinaigrette in advance.
2. Roasted pumpkin seeds: In a large saucepan over very low heat, heat 1/2 cup (125 ml) grapeseed oil and toast 1/2 cup (125 ml) raw pumpkin seeds until puffed and beginning to brown. (You may strain oil into a bowl to use in the dressing.) Cool seeds and season with sea salt.
3. Pumpkin seed vinaigrette: Combine in a bowl 1/4 cup
(60 ml) apple cider vinegar,
1/4 cup (60 ml) pumpkin seed oil (see above recipe) or grapeseed oil, 3 tbsp (45 ml) maple syrup, 3 tbsp (45 ml) tamari, 1 clove minced garlic, and 1-inch (2.5-cm) piece ginger root, peeled, shredded. Whisk to blend.
4. To make the salad, use a large salad bowl and combine the two colours of cabbage, the mint, basil, parsley and green onions, tossing to combine.
5. Toss with the pumpkin seed vinaigrette and trim with roasted pumpkin seeds.