Cabbage and Kale Salad with Creamy Sesame Seed Dressing

Salads of cabbage and kale or other hearty greens are a favorite of mine because they're such a great way to get those vegetables into people who don't like them cooked. And since the cabbage and especially the kale benefit from sitting in the dressing, it's an easy make-ahead dish. 

All you have to do the next day is cut the apple and segment the Satsumas one to two hours before serving. Any seedless (or close to it) mandarin/tangerine will do, and any apple that is crisp and flavorful. 

Note: Since there is sufficient acid in the dressing, there may be no need to wait till closer to serving time to add the fruit. I don't know if it's true of all apples, but the organic Granny Smiths I used did not brown at all and were just as crisp and delicious in the leftover salad the next day. 

I came up with the dressing with two things in mind: 1. wanting to use up my fresh bottle of sesame seeds before they went stale and rancid, and 2. a friend's mention of wanting a different dressing and one that did not call for Dijon mustard. 

The dressing is versatile. I like a little sugar in the dressing for this or any salad that might have a bit of bitterness to accent with sweetness, but you can reduce it or leave it out altogether for many salads. 

Could this be the "something different" on your Super Bowl party menu this year?

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Cabbage and Kale Salad with Creamy Sesame Seed Dressing 

(Makes 16 servings) 

The Cabbage and Kale Salad 

1 small head green cabbage (to make about 2 quarts trimmed and sliced) 

1 bunch kale (to make about 1 quart trimmed and sliced)
2 medium apples, sliced
1 cup fresh mandarin/tangerine segments or orange chunks

*Satsuma, Kishu, Gold Nugget or other seedless mandarin/tangerine

The Creamy Sesame Seed Dressing 

(Makes about 1 1/4 cup) 

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted 

2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 

1 Remove any ragged outer leaves of cabbage. Cut in half, then cut each half into 4 wedges. Trim the core from each wedge and slice it crosswise. Wash and dry in salad spinner. Transfer to 4-quart bowl. Wash the kale and cut away the large part of the stems. Roll the leaves lengthwise a few at a time and slice thinly. Add to the cabbage in the bowl.

2 In small skillet, toast the sesame seeds. It goes more quickly and reduces the chance of burning them if you heat the skillet first. Add the sesame seeds to the hot skillet and they'll toast in just 1 to 2 minutes, lifting the pan and swirling it occasionally. Starting with the cold skillet makes it take just enough longer that my attention wanders and I end up burning them! 

3 In small bowl or 2-cup glass measure, whisk together sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Whisk in cider vinegar to dissolve sugar and salt a bit. Whisk in mayonnaise until smooth; whisk in olive oil and toasted sesame seeds. Add to cabbage and kale; mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 6 hours or until the next day. 

4 Up to 2 hours before serving time, slice the apple(s) and segment the mandarins (tangerines) or slice the oranges. Stir into the salad. Refrigerate; toss just before serving.