RECIPE: Winter coleslaw

LIKE many cooks at this time of year I begin to crave rich bowls of food that are comforting to the tummy and help to stave off the cold weather.

But even in winter it is nice to serve a dish that offers some of the crisp freshness we become accustomed to in the summer, cleansing the palate and offering a contrast to the fattiness of meat and cheese-based meals.

This is one of my favourite go-to recipes for a winter salad – it is relatively cheap, easy to make and lasts for a good few days in the fridge.

Ingredients

Half a small white cabbage (around 200g)

Half a small red cabbage (around 200g)

One brown English onion

2-3 small carrots

75g of walnut pieces

75g of hazelnuts

90g of pumpkin seeds

For the dressing

The zest of one lime and the juice of two (around 50ml of lime juice)

25ml of cold pressed rapeseed oil

One large teaspoon of crème fraiche

Salt and pepper for seasoning

Method

Finely slice the white and red cabbage, followed by the onion. Grate the carrots. Put all of the vegetables in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Next you need to dry fry the nuts and seeds. Warm the pan over a medium heat and toss in the broken walnuts. Stir gently until the nuts are toasty brown and smell delicious and then add them to your coleslaw bowl. Be careful not to burn them as this can make them taste bitter. Repeat with the hazelnuts.

Turn the pan to a low heat before adding the pumpkin seeds. Almost immediately they should begin to swell and make little popping sounds. Leave them in the pan for a minute or so, shaking it a little to keep them moving around, and then add them into your mixing bowl with the other dry ingredients.

Pour the lime juice and oil into a small jam jar, followed by the lime zest and crème fraiche. Put the lid on tight and shake until the dressing is combined. Remove the lid, taste, and season with salt and pepper.

Tip all of the dressing over the vegetables. Wash your hands, roll up your sleeves and use your hands to stir everything together. Make sure that your ingredients are glossy and the dressing is well distributed.

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