Cabbage, that pungent, homely, cheap brassica, is associated with cold-weather cooking — Northern European, Korean and Chinese cuisine offer a multitude of hearty recipes featuring stuffed, creamed, stir-fried and preserved cabbage. But it’s also a staple of Mexican food. Repollo, as it’s known, is a key ingredient in broth-based Mexican soups, and as a filling for tacos and enchiladas.
It also makes a delicious slaw, a lighter alternative to mayonnaise-based cabbage salads. I like to make Mexican Cabbage Salad with an almost fat-free dressing of tomato juice, lime and honey and the aromatic additions of cilantro, cumin and dried chiles.
Mexican Cabbage Salad is a good side salad; it’s also an excellent filling for a chicken or beef sandwich or for a fish taco.
This salad is best made with a sturdier cabbage like white cabbage or Savoy. Napa, which has a higher water content, will give you a watery slaw. If you want a more filling slaw, add a few black beans, but make sure you drain and quickly rinse them so they don’t turn the salad black.
Mexican Cabbage
Salad Serves 4
Ingredients
6 cups thinly sliced white cabbage (about half a small head)
¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
½ cup cilantro leaves
1 cup tomato juice
Juice of 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon ground toasted cumin
1 teaspoon crumbled dried chiles
A few shots hot sauce
Salt
Optional: 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed
Directions
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Allow the mixture to sit, refrigerated, for at least 20 minutes and no more than 3 hours.
