Today, while I was thinking about some recipes for 10kg of apples that Jonathan's grandfather gave us while we were in Umbria, I started to feel hungry so I started preparing my lunch! In Iran we're not that familiar using fruits in our salads but we're eating fruits almost everyday, 2 to 3 times in a day! Specially apples, i remember as a child, my mom always used to tell me that apples are very good for your teeth! Truth! they give you a whiter, healthier teeth and alsoavoid Alzheimer’s, protect against parkinson’s, curb all sorts of cancers, decrease your risk of diabetes, reduce cholesterol, get a healthier heart, prevent gallstones & cataracts , beat diarrhea and constipation, neutralize irritable bowel syndrome, avert hemorrhoids, control your weight, detoxify your liver, boost your immune system and many more.... this is shocking! right?
So during the day while Jonathan is at work I don't feel like cooking that much, maybe the days when I am working on a recipe, then I cook & sometimes eat as well! Otherwise I make myself a simple dish like a salad or carpaccio of veggies and sometimes a soup so i can continue working and not feeling heavy in the stomach!
Today I've come up with this amazing salad recipe with a special sauce for it. You're gonna love it. It's super easy & the good thing is that apples & red cabbage are in season, even if oranges are not, but we need them just for the sauce.
The cabbage makes the salad crunchy and apples are going to be softer after you mix the salad with the sauce. The sauce instead will give it a hint of Dijon & vinegar but with the softness & sweetness of grated apples it will take the hint away and then orange! Orange is balancing the whole sauce. It's taste is still fresh and at the same time warm & cozy! As you remember autumn. While sitting in the room, watching outside, thinking: will it rain today? Does it really matter when you have your beautiful bowl of salad in your hands? :)
Serves 4 People
Ingredients:
- 1 medium red cabbage
- 2-3 big apple (the red/green crunchy ones)
- 2-3 tbsp walnuts
For the dressing:
- juice of one orange
- 1 grated apple (use the finest part of grater)
- 4 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp red grape vinegar
- 8-10 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- freshly ground black pepper
- sea salt
Method:
- Wash the apples & the red cabbage as you like, i always peel the first leaves of cabbage, wash the whole cabbage once, then cut it in half and try to check if there are any other dirty leaves left, then wash again and dry it well.
- Slice the apple & cabbage in a very thinly slices.
- In a bowl, squeeze the orange to get all it's juice, add the grated apple, Dijon mustard, red vinegar, black pepper and mix it really well. when you feel ok with the flavor & taste, add the extra virgin olive oil.
- Add the sliced cabbage & apples into the sauce bowl & mix well.
- Pour them in a clean & beautiful bowl, add the walnuts on top and serve.