In America, commonplace coleslaw is made from green cabbage, but I do see shreds of red cabbage tossed into a mixed salad every now and then. When I was a child in northern Italy, we ate a lot of the cabbage family, from regular cabbage to Savoy cabbage to black kale. We ate red cabbage braised next to a roast, but we also made a lot of differently dressed salads with it. The secret—and the work—was in slicing the cabbage thin. But given today’s food processors and all their different attachments, and the reasonable prices of mandoline slicers, this salad is a cinch to make. You can even slice the cabbage a few hours in advance; just remember to toss it with some vinegar as soon as you slice it to keep its color bright.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4 to 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Put the shredded red cabbage in a large serving bowl. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 to 6 minutes. Pour off most of the fat, and return the pan to the heat.
Step 2
Add the remaining olive oil and the vinegar to the skillet. Bring to a full boil, and pour over the cabbage in the bowl. Mop out the skillet with a handful of the cabbage to get the crusty bits from the bottom of the pan, and add to the bowl. Season with salt, and toss well so the cabbage doesn’t stick together. Serve warm or at room temperature.
