Cabbage, like cauliflower last year and kale before that, is having a moment. Last week, The Washington Post offered a recipe for shredded, roasted cabbage, served with jammy eggs and quinoa. The New York Times recently suggested grilling wedges of cabbage like steaks in a cast-iron skillet.

I’ve been pretty vocal about my love of cabbage for years, and I have so much more to say.

Take for instance the small head of red cabbage I always reliably have in the back of the fridge, especially in these “cooler” months. Sometimes I’ll shred some and add it to a regular green salad. That, and some grated carrot, immediately elevates it to “fancy salad” status. I love sauteing red cabbage with a red onion, hitting it with a sharp vinegar at the end, then finishing it off with some dried cranberries or cherries.

But most times, I’m shredding my red cabbage to eat raw in this simple salad that I’ve been enjoying for years. It’s very basic: cabbage, feta, dates and a little fresh citrus to tie it all together. Honestly, I make this all year long, including on Passover.

For my most recent version of this salad, I used some fantastic feta I found imported from Bulgaria at the international store in West Springfield. The cabbage I used was teensy. Once cleaned, it weighed in at less than a pound. I tend to use half a head, which is the right amount for two adults with leftovers the next day.

I offer measurements because I’ve come to this space to share a recipe, but feel free to add more dates or feta as you see fit. I found the entire half of lemon was too much for this small salad, so definitely taste as you go.

I love the balance of flavors in this one, with the creamy, salty feta meeting the sweet, sticky dates. This is a salad for this cabbage moment, or any moment.

Red Cabbage Salad with Dates and Feta

Ingredients

1 half a red cabbage, shredded

One-quarter cup feta

One-quarter cup dates, pitted and chopped

Up to one-half juice of a fresh lemon (or lime), to taste

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Pinch of kosher salt

Directions

Place shredded cabbage in a bowl. Using a fork, break up the feta directly over the bowl of cabbage. Add the dates, the lemon juice, drizzle of olive oil and pinch of kosher salt. I tend to use my hands to really work the ingredients through, as though I was massaging kale. Season to taste, and enjoy!

Molly Parr lives in Florence with her husband and two young daughters. She’s been writing her food blog, Cheap Beets, since 2010. Send questions or comments to molly.parr@gmail.com.

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