Cabbage Salad with Fuji Apples and Spiced Pecans

I made this amazing Red and Napa Cabbage Salad with Fuji Apples and Spiced Pecans back in November for our family Thanksgiving lunch and have made it several times since – including this afternoon.

This was a recipe from epicurious. I subbed Fuji apples for Braeburn and I added a little amber agave nectar at the end, otherwise I followed the recipe.

Spiced Pecan Ingredients:

• 2 Teaspoons Butter
• 1 Cup Pecan Halves
• 2 Tablespoons Golden Brown Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1/8 Teaspoon (scant) Cayenne Pepper

Dressing Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons Seasoned Rice Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1/4 Cup Olive Oil

Salad Ingredients:

• 2 Medium Unpeeled Fuji Apples – quartered, cored, thinly sliced crosswise
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• 3 Cups Thinly Sliced Red Cabbage
• 2 Cups Thinly Sliced Napa Cabbage
• 3/4 Cup Dried Tart Cherries (about 5 ounces)
• 1/2 Tablespoon Amber Light Agave Nectar

Directions for Spiced Pecans

Melt butter in nonstick medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add pecans and stir 1 minute. Add brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne; stir until nuts are coated, about 1-3 minutes. Transfer nuts to foil sheet and cool. These have been made 20 times since my first time in November. OMG! they are absolutely amazing! I’ve honestly had to stop myself from buying pecans, it was getting a little out of control and today was again a reminder.

Directions for Dressing

Whisk both vinegars and mustard in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper. Epicurious says that the spiced pecans and dressing can be made 1 day ahead if you would like. Store pecans in airtight container at room temperature. Cover and chill dressing; bring to room temperature and rewhisk before using.

Directions for Salad Prep

Toss apples with lemon juice in large bowl. Add cabbages and dried cherries; mix. Add dressing and toss. Stir in pecans and season salad with salt and pepper. I probabaly could have left it as is – but I decided to add about a 1/2 tablespoon of agave to cut down on the tangy factor.

This salad will again be making the rotation into my fruit and veggie challenge. I could eat it as a meal or pair it with grilled anything – including ham and cheese paninis like we did on Thanksgiving. No worries, we still had Turkey and all the fixings for dinner. Some other substitution ideas might be using granny smith apples and raisins instead of the tart cherries and sweeter Fuji apples. You could use just about any dried fruit – apricots would probably be wonderful. While I wouldn’t think of subbing out my beloved spiced pecans, walnuts or any other nut would work fine too.

Enjoy!