We’ve reached the point where one foot is firmly planted in winter while the other reaches eagerly for spring. I love these transitional points between the seasons because you begin to notice all of the subtle shifts that hint at the season to come. The evening light is changing, the birds have been providing an incredibly loud symphony, and my garden is beginning to perk up.
In order to celebrate this point in the year, I used local vegetables and fruit as my canvas to make a winter slaw with blood orange dressing. I like to think of the slaw as winter, made up of hardy brassicas that thrive in the cold. As for the blood orange in the dressing, I see it as the whisper of spring because despite the fact that it’s in season now, its brightness foreshadows the arrival of warmer times.
This recipe is highly adaptable to what you have on hand so you’ll find suggestions written in the notes. As for the blood orange dressing, you can use a standard navel orange or even a meyer lemon if that is what you have on hand. Or, if you’re trying to cut back on prep time, you can use a store bought dressing. I like using this one from time to time. For other seasonally-focused winter recipes, browse here.
Winter Slaw with Blood Orange Dressing
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
This slaw uses winter produce at its finest, both brassicas and citrus. A tangle of finely chopped brassicas are dressed with a bright and sunny blood orange dressing.
Ingredients
- 1 bunch of collard greens, ribs removed and leaves thinly sliced into ribbons
- 1 small head of Napa (Chinese) cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 small bunch of radishes, cut into matchsticks
- 3–4 scallions, white and light green parts thinly sliced
- juice of 1 blood orange (about 1/4 to 1/3 cup total)
- 2 tbsp dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- sea salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Combine the prepared collard greens, cabbage, radishes, and scallions in a large mixing bowl. Toss with your hands to combine.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the blood orange juice, dijon mustard, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, maple syrup. Add sea salt and pepper to taste, then mix once more to incorporate everything. Pour the dressing over the slaw mix then toss to coat the vegetables in the dressing. Taste and add more salt/pepper as needed before serving.
Store leftovers in the fridge and consume within 4-5 days.
Notes
You can use any mix of winter greens such as cabbage, collards, or kale in the recipe. You can also use other root vegetables in place of the radishes such as carrots, turnips, or beets. You’re going for roughly 6 cups of chopped vegetables. In order to cut the radishes into matchsticks, slice them into 1/8-inch thick rounds first, then slice the rounds into matchsticks. As for the scallions, feel free to leave them out if you don’t like them or don’t have them.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
