As part of my resolution to eat more salad, I am trying to buy ingredients that can be turned into a salad without too much fuss. You practically need to buy tender salad greens every day so I've been buying crunchy vegetables and hardier leafy greens instead. On my shopping lists these days are daikon radish, carrots, celery, fennel and red radishes. Shaved thin, they all are great salad fixings. I also buy avocados, and some citrus fruit to gussy up my salads.

I made this particular salad one night when I wasn't hungry enough for dinner and I had very little in the house to cook anyway. I loved it so much that I keep going back to the store to buy the same ingredients so I can make it again! It's based on my very faulty recollection of the Grapefruit Jicama Salad from the Slanted Door.

I particularly like the combination of Napa cabbage and radicchio. They are sturdy crunchy greens, (ok, technically not green at all!) but less hardy than red or green cabbage. I used O Clementine olive oil. It's just lovely, but any citrus infused olive oil would be fine if you have some on hand, otherwise use any extra virgin olive oil you like. The salad also includes candied pecans. I have made candied pecans hundreds of times and this is the easiest method of all.


Grapefruit Radicchio Salad Serves 2 as an entree or 4 as a starter

Ingredients

2 cups radicchio, shredded
1 cup Napa cabbage, shredded
1 grapefruit
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
2 teaspoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil or citrus flavored olive oil
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Instructions

In a small frying pan combine the pecans with the sugar and a teaspoon of water, cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When the sugar gets very brown take the pan off the heat and sprinkle the nuts with a pinch of salt and the smoked paprika, stir and let cool in the pan, making sure the nuts are separated from each other so they don't clump together.

Toss the radicchio and cabbage in a bowl. Peel the grapefruit using a knife to remove all the pith. Cut between the membranes to remove only the segments and drop them into the bowl with the salad. Using your hands, squeeze the remaining juice out of the grapefruit membranes and core, onto the salad. Add the olive oil and vinegar and toss. Top with the cooled candied pecans. Serve immediately.

Enjoy!

Savoy cabbage is the prettiest cabbage of all, with its fantastic crinkly leaves and its contrasting dark on pale color palette. Only a few outer leaves are dark green and quite so textured, inside it is creamy and pale. Despite its rugged appearance it's actually very tender and sweet. Best of all, it cooks quickly and easily and it doesn't have the sulfur odor so distinctive in other cabbage; just don't over cook it. Savoy cabbage is named for the Savoy region, a medieval duchy on the border of Italy, France and Switzerland. But I think we should call it by its lovely Italian name, cavolo verza. Now that's the name of a star!

Savoy cabbage is high in vitamin K, vitamin C and fiber. It's also a very good source of fiber, manganese, folate, vitamin B6, potassium, and omega-3 fatty acids. Heads of savoy cabbage are so large it's a good idea to have several dishes in mind when you purchase or harvest it. Because it is so tender, don't shy away from using it in salads. Just use salt and a vinegar or lemony dressing to help it wilt.

I like just about all cabbages, but savoy cabbage is my favorite and not just because it is so beautiful and healthy. The sweetness of savoy cabbage makes it a wonderful foil for rich and salty foods like duck confit, bacon or sausages. But because it is naturally mild and sweet, it is equally delicious as a bed for mild white fish or seafood. It can be cooked or used raw. It can be braised, roasted or boiled, and it's very easy to saute it in butter, olive oil or bacon fat. It can be used in preserved recipes like kimchi or sauerkraut.

Here are some ways to use savoy cabbage:

* Steam and serve with fish, or wrap the fish in the leaves and steam

* Saute it with boiled potatoes, garlic and onions

* Stuff the leaves with rice or potatoes and ground meat

* Add to minestrone

* Make sauerkraut

* Make kimchi

* Saute with bacon and spaetzle

* Use in borscht

* Shred it with carrots and seaon with apple cider vinegar, sugar and salt to make cole slaw

* Saute cabbage, bacon and onions then toss with egg noodles

* Combine with sliced sugar snap peas and a creamy dressing in slaw