Savoy Cabbage and Celery Root Salad with Walnut Vinaigrette.

By Kukla • June 28, 2011 • 2 Comments

⎙

Author Notes: In our family we love to use celery root in many dishes raw, cooked, and roasted, in soups, salads and especially in pickling brines for tomatoes and watermelon.
I serve this delicious and healthy salad or slow as a first course or a light side dish for chicken, boiled meat, poached salmon. It is perfect, when eaten with a sandwich or a Panini for lunch.
Napa can substitute Savoy cabbage in this salad because it has a similar delicate texture.
I use toasted walnuts instead of walnut oil for a more natural flavor and because walnut oil, even in small amounts and very fresh, taste to me stale.
It would wonderful (to chopp-up), if the celery root you use, is young and has fresh sprouts and leaves, which add texture and fresh taste.
- Kukla

Serves 6-8

For the Salad

• 1 medium head Savoy Cabbage, cut in half and thinly sliced
• 1 medium Celery root, peeled and grated on the large holes side of a grater or chopped in matchstick size
• 1 large English or 3 small young, fresh Persian cucumbers, peeled, cut in half, seeded and sliced in half-moon thin slices
• 2 tablespoons celery or parsley leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 big pinch of salt

For the Walnut Vinaigrette

• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine or champagne vinegar
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon

In a large mixing bowl combine cabbage, celery root, cucumber and a large pinch of salt. Transfer to a large colander, place on top of the bowl and refrigerate for about 1 hour to drain-of the excess liquid.
In a mortar and pestle or mini processor crush walnuts and garlic, salt, pepper and lemon zest until it becomes a homogeneous mixture.
Whisk in vinegar and oil, taste and if needed add more salt and pepper. Squeeze some more lemon juice right before serving to brighten the flavor.
To assemble the salad: Get out the salad from refrigerator, discard the accumulated liquid and return to mixing bowl.
Pour walnut vinaigrette over vegetables, add celery or parsley leaves and gently toss the salad.