- 1 cup (115 grams) cashews
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 pound (455 grams) red cabbage, thinly sliced or shredded (about 4 cups)
- 1 small or half large fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 3 regular green onions or 4 thin green onions, thinly sliced (green and white parts)
- A small handful of fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
- 3 tangerines (clementines and other small oranges work here), divided
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) white wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon sumac, plus a little more for finishing
- Spicy cashews (from above)
Spiced Cashews
Assembly
Prepare the spiced cashews: Heat your oven to 400°F. Place the cashews in a colander and rinse them with water, but there is no need to shake them. (This gives them the perfect amount of moisture for the spices to stick.) Transfer to a bowl, add the sugar, salt, cayenne pepper and paprika and toss so they are evenly coated. If the mixture seems a little dry, add 1 more teaspoon of water. Spread the cashews on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast them for 8-10 minutes, until the nuts are darker and I really like them with a few black spots, so I’ll put them in for another 3-5 minutes, just watch carefully so they don’t burn completely. Let the nuts cool completely on the baking sheet. [I stick them outside and let the winter air take care of it.]
Assemble the salad: Combine cabbage, fennel, green onions and mint in a large bowl. Juice one of your tangerines and pour 2 tablespoons of juice into a small bowl. (Any excess should be discarded as an immunity booster shot.) Add the white wine vinegar, olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plenty of ground black pepper and the sumac and whisk to combine. Pour over cabbage mixture and taste, adding more seasoning if necessary. If you prepare the salad in advance, you can let this mixture marinate for a few hours; it won’t turn into mush.
Peel your two remaining tangerines and separate them into segments. Pile half of your dressed salad mixture on a serving plate, sprinkle with half the tangerine and half the cashews. This will look like a lot of cashews, but they’re really the star of the show here. Repeat with the rest of the salad, tangerine and cashews and enjoy.
