What’s Cookin’ – Lettuce and Cabbage Salad

This is another great salad to make and serve at summer get-togethers.  It is easy to make, and everyone likes it.  It is not one of the usual suspects, so it might make a nice change of pace from your good old standbys.  I made it for a grad party for the daughter of my friend, Cathy, and it disappeared quickly.

Don’t let the word cabbage in the name scare you off.  It is my bet that most people won’t even realize they are eating cabbage.

This recipe is adapted from one found in an organization cookbook I refer to all the time.  It was submitted by the sister-in-law of my best friend, Lynn.  Lynn’s family also makes a really good cauliflower salad that is easy to make and is another great summertime recipe.  It includes bacon so you know it has to be good!  I’ll feature that one someday soon.

Lettuce and Cabbage Salad – ingredients.  Prepare your Italian dressing and chill.

Notes on cabbage:  The original recipe calls for a small head of cabbage, cut into small pieces.  I use the packages of angel hair cole slaw because I can never cut fresh cabbage as finely you can find it in these packages.

I love cabbage.  Broccoli, mustard, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, kale, kohlrabi and bok choy are all vegetables in the cabbage family.  Cabbage used to be the number one vegetable consumed in America.  In the 1920s, the average annual consumption was 22 pounds per person.  Why?  It was due at least in part to the fact that it is easy to grow and store for long periods of time.

Today, consumption of cabbage sits right at about 9.3 pounds per person per year.  March is the number one month for cabbage consumption due to the St. Patrick’s Day holiday and its use in making corned beef and cabbage.

I think a lot of people dislike cabbage because they associate it with the smelly saurkraut out of a can or a jar.  But fresh cabbage is not smelly and adds a nice crunch to salads.

Chop the iceberg lettuce.  Rinse well and allow to dry or spin in a salad spinner.

Throw the lettuce into a large serving bowl. 

Cut cabbage into thin strips, rinse and drain well, and add to the lettuce in the bowl.  If using packaged cabbage or cole slaw, rinse and drain well, and add to the bowl.

Note on packaged salad mixes:  I always wash and drain packaged salad mixes even if the packages claim they are pre-washed and ready to serve right out of the package.

Dice the green onions and throw them into the bowl.

Grate the cheese and cut the sliced salami into chunks.  Throw them into the bowl.

Note on salami:  I love sausages and salamis of all types.  I have found a low sodium, low fat hard salami at my local grocer.  It is really good and a little less greasy than regular salami which also works well in this recipe.

About one hour prior to serving, toss everything together with the dressing and keep chilled until ready to serve.

What you end up with is a nice large salad that is easy to make, lightly dressed, and good to eat with your typical summer foods.

Yummy.