red cabbage, carrot, and apricot salad

This week's unfamiliar vegetable: Red Cabbage. 

While it is a more common vegetable for most people, I have never cooked with it and therefore found it fascinating, not to mention beautiful. As soon as I cut it open, thoughts of changing my major and gaining fame through a series of photographs of the insides of vegetables danced through my head. But alas, I am still in love with the English language and I shall leave vegetable cutting as a hobby.

What drew me to this particular salad recipe was the dried apricot it called for, as well as the unexpected ingredient of vanilla yogurt. Both worked wonderfully. While the salad was not improved overly much by marinating, it still tastes good these few days later even if it isn't any better than it was before.

The interesting additions ended up being quite wonderful. While the cabbage takes center stage as the main flavor, the apricots add a sweetness while the vanilla yogurt finishes off the whole bite in a soft, slightly tangy slide. 

To make the vanilla yogurt, I simply took the called for amount from my current batch of plain yogurt and added a dash of vanilla extract to it. Granted, I hesitated a little and ended up with quite a lot of vanilla in the small half cup, but I have yet to put "too much" vanilla in something.

RED CABBAGE, CARROT, AND APRICOT SALAD 

Recipe from "The Vegetarian 5-Ingredient Gourmet" by Nava Atlas 

6 to 8 servings 

1/2 small head red cabbage

Slice coarsely.

Place in serving bowl.

3 to 4 medium or 2 large carrots 

Grate.

Combine with cabbage.

1/2 c dried apricots, sliced 

Juice of 1/2 lemon 

1/2 c vanilla yogurt 

Add to cabbage and mix well. 

Let stand covered, for about 30 minutes before serving.