I love a slaw. Not the traditional coleslaw, laden with weepy, white cream-based dressings, but a slaw nouveau is what I’m talking about. A bit of cabbage, some acid– be it astringent vinegar, or tangy citrus juice, you can’t forget the olive oil, and some other stuff: nuts, herbs, thinly sliced onion, other vegetables, fruit even– you name it, I’ve probably thrown it in a salad bowl.

What is so satisfying about a slaw is that they’re sort of seasonless. In the winter, when I tire of roasting my vegetables, when I want a vegetable to make some noise, have a crunch, I can always get a head of cabbage, slice it thinly, make a slaw, and chew ’til my heart’s content. In the summer, when I’m wilting from heat exhaustion, and can’t imagine turning on the stove, I turn once more to the lowly head of cabbage, and slice up a little sustenance. Whether they’re cellared, or fresh from the earth, cabbage, be it green, red, Napa, or Savoy is always there for me.

So when I saw this recipe for Fergus Henderson’s Red Salad, on Food52, I felt as if I had found a kindred spirit in Mr. Henderson. His recipe was simple, and it captured the ease of making a slaw. So he calls it a salad rather than a slaw, potato, po-tah-to? There were no real measurements, no persnickety directions– just delicious food.

The salad is red for two reasons: raw, grated beets and red cabbage. It’s a bit of mess grating the beets, but it’s only for a moment– and well, wear an apron– problem solved. The beets bleed, making the rest of the contents of the bowl a bright, sanguine color, so you’re not really sure what you’re eating, you just know that it’s very good.

I did change the recipe a bit. I added some green apple; sliced into matchsticks, this added a sweetness and an additional crunch. I also substituted the capers for some preserved lemon. I had them in the fridge, and I love the salty acidity. I served the slaw with some plain yogurt rather than the suggested creme fraiche. It mingled with the slaw, and was a bright, pleasing pink. I loved this slaw; it will definitely go in my repertoire. Hopefully you’ll love it too.

Crunch, crunch.

Red Salad
adapted from Beyond Nose to Tail by Fergus Henderson

For the salad:

2 medium beets, raw, peeled and grated
1/4 head of red cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 a red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 a green apple, cored, and sliced into matchsticks
1-2 tablespoons preserved lemon, minced

For the dressing:

a glug of olive oil
balsamic vinegar, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Lightly toss all of the salad ingredients together. Add the oil and vinegar, and the salt and pepper. Toss again. The salad should become glossy, and will get more red as it is mixed. You want the dressed salad to be slightly acidic, but well balanced. Adjust the seasoning, according to taste. Slaw can be eaten right away, with a dollop of yogurt.