Red cabbage apple slaw with blue cheese, pistachios and Calvados dressing

The red cabbages from my garden stay really fresh for a super long time when harvested in the very late fall. This was one of the last to go, and still nice and crisp. But I'm ready for spring vegetables, any time now ...

Apple slaw with blue cheese and pistachios

From Real Food, Fall 2008 (the magazine they give away at Lunds)

Ingredients

½ small head of purple cabbage

2 green onions, green parts only, finely snipped

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon coarse salt

2 tablespoons Calvados or applejack

½ cup mayonnaise

2 crisp small apples

½ cup shelled salted pistachios

¼ cup crumbled blue cheese

Method

Finely slice red cabbage (I used a mandoline). Combine with green onion, vinegar and salt. Toss to mix.

Combine mayonnaise with Calvados. Core and thinly slice apples, tossing with mayo mixture as you go so apples don’t discolor and it gets well mixed. Combine with red cabbage mixture.

Shortly before serving, mix in pistachios and blue cheese. 

Rating: Unusual combination of flavors, but it works well. Would pair well with steak or roast turkey.

Note: Obviously the Calvados doesn't get cooked or anything, so you might substitute sparkling apple cider if need be.