This salad has quickly become my favourite winter starter. During the cold months, my diet shifts into including lots of wholesome soups, perfect for warming the belly in the cold Canadian winter but one mustn’t take your eyes off of other ways to eat your vegetables.
I do not eat many salads in the winter but this salad could change that. In Greece, salads and slaws take the place of the familiar Greek salad. Good tomatoes are hard to come by and in keeping with eating fresh, seasonal produce, bitter greens like rocket and cabbage come to the rescue.
I like bitter greens but if that’s not to your tastes, use some Romaine lettuce in the mix and you’ll get this same wonderful salad.
Don’t like cabbage? You will after trying this salad. Sliced thinly with your knife, cabbage is milder in flavour, only possesses a slight crunch and it’s in season, cheap and good for you.
The addition of apple in this salad really brings the dish together. An apple gets grated into the mix, mellowing both the bitter greens and the unique flavour of cabbage.
Squeeze some fresh lemon juice over the grated apple, toss with Greek extra-virgin olive oil and balance with some wine vinegar. The crowning glory to this salad goes to some briny Kalamata olives.
The orgins of this salad are from Sparta, southern Greece. The recipe is from It’s almost dinner time. This salad belongs on your dinner table.
Salad of Rocket, Cabbage and Apple
serves 4
1 cup of thinly sliced white cabbage
1 bunch of rocket (arugula) leaves,
1 small clove of garlic, minced
1 apple, passed through the large holes of your box grater
squeeze of lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. of wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
some Kalamata olives
Romaine lettuce leaves for garnish
- Wash your salad greens well and tear them with your hands. Place in a salad spinner to remove any excess water. Reserve.
- Wash about 4 leaves of Romaine lettuce and pat-dry. Arrange along the walls of your salad bowl and reserve.
- In another bowl, add your sliced cabbage and then the grated apple. Add a good squeeze of lemon juice (prevent the apple from browing).
- Now add your salad greens in to the bowl. In a small jar, add your minced garlic, olive oil and wine vinegar along with some sea salt and ground pepper to taste. Close the lid, shake well and adjust seasoning accordingly.
- Pour about half the dressing over the salad and toss gently. If the salad is still too dry, add some more dressing to your liking. Transfer to your serving bowl for the salad and top with some Kalamata olives.
This is a great dish, Peter! I really like the idea of a slaw without loads of mayonnaise or sour cream. I think it’d be much more versatile!
So simple I love it! This would go great with my Greek style baked brie. I’ll bring the moscofilerio.
I do believe this salad belongs on my table Peter. It has real appeal with the apples which as you stated would round out the flavours. Well done.
Now that is a beautiful salad. I actually eat more salads in the winter because it’s my go-to side dish when all the other veggies aren’t in season.
Love this idea and I’ve got some red cabbage, apples and lettuce (no arugula or rocket) to make it for tomorrow’s lunch.
i love apple and lettuce/cabbage salad, especially with a bit of grated cheese sprinkled on top
Simple, clean and crisp flavours…the apples provide the perfect extra crunch here.
I’m a salads devorator in summer and ocasionally in winter. However, after all the big food festival (xmas food), salads and mandarin are so welcome to my table.
Love the original combo of yours. Will have to try ;D
Hi Peter
I love to mix fruits into the salad and greens !! but most of it I see kalamata olives and this is top ! I had visited Kalamata and bought bottles of olive oil with olives in it and at the end the olives were totally oily and delicious !! thanks for reminding this to me !! cheers from Paris Pierre
This looks fantastic! Thanks Peter.
This sounds like a mightily tasty salad Peter. I too like peppery salad leaves like rocket. My favourite salad this winter is a salad topped with avocado and halloumi I love it. Winter doen’t put me off salad, although I don’t eat it as much as in the summer. when I go a bit salad crazy.
crispy cabbage, juicy apple, spicy rocket–this salad has all the makings of a wonderful mouth experience. :)
Excellent, I love fruits in my salads :) Will you object if I also add feta cheese? :)
I agree Peter, I think we neglect eating salads in winter and it is then that our bodies need fresh fruit and veggies even more……
perfect for a 35C day in Queensland. Thank you, Peter.
I was just reading something the other day about the fact that we neglect winter salad while there are so many suitable vegetables out there to make beautiful salads! I love this and great addition too with the apple.
Thank you – I’ll have a portion of your lovely salad to take to work with me tomorrow please!….
You do home delivery don’t you? :)
What a great use of cabbage
I love cabbage salads and I love bitter greens but I never think to pair them. Clearly I have been missing out on something good and will have to remedy at once!
What a great salad! I’m guilty of serving the same old salad time after time. I can’t wait to make this!
Absolutely delicious winter salad! Served it tonite (plenty of snow on the ground) with braised shortribs, polenta & steamed broccoli. Just the perfect salad for this. Thank you, Peter1