Lahanosalata

Greek raw cabbage salad with lemon, olive oil and herbs

Origin: Greece

From the journey of Cabbage.

Lahanosalata (λαχανοσαλάτα, from lahanon, 'vegetable,' and salata, 'salad') is one of the most ancient and enduring preparations of cabbage in the Mediterranean world. In Greece, raw vegetables dressed with olive oil and vinegar or lemon appear in the earliest recorded cooking of the classical period. The physician Hippocrates of Kos (c. 460–370 BCE) prescribed cabbage for a wide range of ailments, and Diogenes of Sinope (the Cynic philosopher, c. 412–323 BCE) famously declared that if he had learned to live on cabbage and water, he would not need to flatter kings. Greek cabbage was darker, looser, and more bitter than modern heading varieties, closer to kale, and the approach of dressing it raw with oil and lemon is both intensely practical (no cooking required) and representative of the Greek Mediterranean instinct to let simple ingredients speak through the quality of olive oil. Lahanosalata is eaten throughout Greece today as a wintertime salad, the season when the garden offers little else. It appears on every taverna table from October to March.

Ingredients

Cabbage

600 g firm white or savoy cabbage (about ½ medium head), very finely shredded

Vegetables

2 medium carrots, grated (optional but common in modern versions)

Dressing

4 tbsp extra-virgin Greek olive oil
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1½ lemons)

Seasoning

1 tsp salt
0.25 tsp white pepper or black pepper

Herbs

3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely sliced (optional)

Method

Shred the cabbage as finely as possible: a mandoline or very sharp chef's knife produces the best result. The thinner the shred, the better the dressing will penetrate. Place in a large bowl.
If using carrots, grate them coarsely and add to the cabbage. Add the spring onions and parsley.
Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl until emulsified: it should be sharp and bright.
Pour the dressing over the salad. Toss very thoroughly with your hands or two large spoons, massaging the dressing into the cabbage so it is evenly coated.
Let the salad rest for at least 10 minutes before serving: the salt and lemon will gently soften the cabbage and improve the flavour. Taste and adjust lemon or salt before bringing to the table.

Notes

The quality of the olive oil is everything in this salad: it should be a genuinely good, grassy, peppery Greek extra-virgin, not a bland generic brand. The salad keeps well refrigerated for up to a day; the cabbage will soften further but the flavour improves. In some Greek regions, a small amount of dried oregano is added. In others, finely grated hard cheese (like kefalotyri) is crumbled over the top.

The Gastrographer

Name: Lahanosalata
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Greece
Ingredients: 600 g firm white or savoy cabbage (about ½ medium head), very finely shredded; 2 medium carrots, grated (optional but common in modern versions); 4 tbsp extra-virgin Greek olive oil; 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1½ lemons); 1 tsp salt; 0.25 tsp white pepper or black pepper; 3 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 2 spring onions, finely sliced (optional)

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Journey Point Map Key

Ingredient originTrade or transit route

Became a culinary stapleColonial / trade control