A salad for a snowy day

This vibrant warm salad is great for the winter, when you want a salad but don’t want to eat cold, out-of-season greens. I made it up one day when I decided to try roasting the leftover half head of cabbage hanging out in my fridge, but I liked it so much that now I’ll buy red cabbage solely for the purpose of making this recipe. In a similar fashion to roasted Brussels sprouts, the cabbage gets delightfully crispy and brown, and trades its cabbage-y taste for a nice sweetness, boosted by a dash of balsamic vinegar. 1½ pounds of cabbage may sound and look like a lot, but it shrinks while baking—this recipe will serve 4 to 6 as a side.

Warm roasted red cabbage salad

Ingredients

1½ lbs. red cabbage (approximately ½ a large head)

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil, divided

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Method

Preheat oven to 375°. Slice cabbage into quarter-inch thick slices. Spread on a baking sheet and toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt. Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway, until cabbage is beginning to brown. Remove from oven and taste cabbage for salt; add if needed. Sprinkle with pepitas and cranberries, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar and remaining teaspoon of olive oil. Mix and return to oven for 5-10 minutes, until pepitas are lightly browned and toasted. Serve immediately, topped with crumbled goat cheese.