After years of hoarding cookbooks that I rarely use as anything but reading material, I've surprised myself recently by turning to their recipes more and more.  When my mother asked me to make a salad for our Christmas dinner, this simple dish from Alice Waters caught my eye.  Cabbage and apples go together almost as well as snow on Christmas. Throw in some nuts, cheese, and a creamy dressing and you have a crisp salad that will brighten any winter table. 

Napa Cabbage Salad

Adapted from Chez Panisse Fruit

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 small savoy cabbage
1/3 cup walnuts
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 Granny Smith apples
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Method

Discard the outer leaves of the cabbage.  Cut in half and remove the core.  Thinly slice the the remaining cabbage.

Toast the walnuts until fragrant over medium heat.  When toasted to your liking, coarsely crush the walnuts with a mortar and pestle.

In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar, lemon juice, some salt, and a generous amount of pepper. Whisk in the olive oil and then the heavy cream. Taste and adjust the acid and salt as desired.

Thinly slice the apples.  Toss the cabbage, apples, walnuts, and blue cheese with the dressing and an extra pinch of salt. Let the salad sit for 5 minutes, taste again, adjust the seasoning as needed, and serve.