Recipe by Vicki Ravlich-Horan, Images by Ashlee DeCaires
There is a difference between finely sliced and shaved cabbage. Trust me, I have tried to emulate the shaved cabbage served with the donburi I enjoy at my local Japanese restaurant without using a mandolin and the fact is it’s not the same. Something happens when your shave that cabbage so super finely, it makes it juicier and tastier.
So, sadly, to make this recipe you really do need a mandolin. The other thing you need for this seemingly simple salad is the patience to roast and remove the skins off the hazelnuts. Having said that, you can swap out the hazelnuts for another nut – finely chopped roasted almonds would work as would walnuts. Just don’t skip the nuts entirely.
½ cup hazelnuts
3 tbsp champagne vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp honey
½ tsp salt
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium Granny Smith apple
1 large fennel bulb
⅓ cabbage, shaved super thinly
Preheat oven to 180°C. Place the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for 20–25 minutes, giving them a shake halfway through. Let nuts cool slightly, then place in a tea towel and rub off skins.
Make the dressing by placing the vinegar, mustard, honey, salt and oil in a small jar. Place the lid tightly on top and shake well.
Cut the cabbage into two or three manageable wedges and use the mandolin to shave the cabbage as finely as you can. As the wedges get down in size be sure to use the guard!
Cut the apple in half, place on the mandolin guard, and slice just as thinly as the cabbage. Once both halves have been sliced, using your knife, slice them super thinly lengthwise to form thin matchsticks.
Finally, cut out the majority of the fennel core before thinly slicing this on the mandolin, stopping when you get to the stalks.
Toss the shaved vegetables with the dressing and top with roughly chopped roasted hazelnuts.
Looking for more great cabbage recipes? Check out our Charred Cabbage wedge or this pasta with Cabbage and pork and fennel sausages
