We all have our favorite culinary personalities. I like to think of them a bit like sports teams for non-sports people (like me). And, as such, I am a longtime member of Team Ina. Her breezy effortlessness, her warmth, and her simple-yet-flawless recipes have consistently won me over for years now.
Last month, my book club read her memoir, “Be Ready When The Luck Happens,” and it inspired me to dip back into the Ina canon to find those sleeper hits I may have missed, including one of my new favorites—Ina’s Winter Slaw.
I’m a salad everyday kind of person, and I actually prefer salads in the colder months when I really need that little pop of sunshine on a plate. Ina’s Winter Slaw, with hearty winter greens, shaved Parmesan, and bright tangy cranberries in a zippy lemon dressing delivers just that.
Like so many of Ina’s recipes, this is very simple to make. (That’s why we love her.) The emphasis is on treating great ingredients really well. Here, those ingredients include a mix of leafy goodness—hearty kale, crunchy raw Brussels sprouts, and bitter radicchio, all finely shredded.
Dried cranberries add pops of sweetness, and shaved Parmesan (“good Parmesan,” to quote the recipe) adds a nice nutty earthiness. The very French lemon vinaigrette ties the whole thing together the way the perfect scarf completes Ina’s daily uniform.
My favorite thing about this recipe is how it improves over time. I can make the entire salad, dressing and all, in the morning, and by dinner, the flavors have harmonized so successfully that the whole salad seems to sing. In fact, I made this slaw for family Shabbat on Friday night and polished it off on Monday with my lunch, and it was still just as good, if not better.
This salad is the perfect accompaniment to a big, meaty main dish, like a whole roast chicken or slow-cooked brisket. But it would also be a welcome addition to a brunch. I love a surprise brunch salad because it cuts through the sometimes monotonous menu of eggs and egg-adjacent dishes. Or pack it up with some grilled chicken for a desk lunch that actually improves over time.
If you’re craving more crunch, add some toasted walnuts or sunflower seeds.
No Parm? No problem. A farmhouse cheddar or even briny feta would be welcome here.
For a little more oomph in the vinaigrette, add a half teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
Use a vegetable peeler to shave shards of Parm off the block.
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