Cabbage and Fennel Slaw with Pomegranate

One of the things I miss from growing up out east, is a warm summer night.

Walking around in the evening, comfortable in a t-shirt, with the leftover heat of the day. It's just comforting.

But we don't get that much out here in SF. Our evenings are filled with fog or sea-breeze. Or both.

Except this year.

We had a 'real' summer, hot sticky days and warm nights, to boot! Regardless if it's El Niño, the drought, or global warming, it still soothed my inner child.

This recipe is awesome for those warm days that stretch into autumn. It's fun to try different varieties of apples - we've tried mostly green ones like Pippins, Granny Smiths, or Mutzus. Although the pomegranate takes a little prep, they're high in antioxidants and vitamin C, and gives a nice color and tart sweetness to the dish.

Cabbage and Fennel Slaw with Pomegranate

We usually make this salad on Sundays to have for the week. It stores well in the fridge for a few days.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 lb cabbage, thinly sliced (For us, this was about 1/2 of a large cabbage)*
• 1 fennel, thinly sliced*
• 1 apple, either small dice or matchsticks
• 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Seeds from 1 pomegranate (see note below)**
• 6 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 avocado, sliced (We usually split 1 avocado between the two of us. If we're serving the salad for a group we'll usually add in an extra avocado)
• Sea salt to taste

*We used a food processor with a slicing blade. You could also use a mandoline, or just do it by hand, of course.

**To remove the seeds of the pomegranate, fill a medium bowl with water. Slice off the top of the pomegranate, and break into chunks in the water. The seeds will sink, and the peel and white parts float. Continue separating the seeds from the fruit, then remove all the peel and white parts. Drain the water. Seeds can be stored in a container in the fridge for about 1 week. They won't last that long, though.

Process

• In a large bowl, combine cabbage, fennel, apple and parsley.
• Pour the oil and lemon juice into the bowl, and mix well. (The lemon helps prevent the fruits and veggies from turning brown)
• Divide into bowls, and top with avocado slices.
• Salt to taste. (We salt our own bowls after serving. Because salt draws moisture from the ingredients over time, if you salt the whole dish it can make for some soggy leftovers.)