When most people think of French food, they think of rich, cream-based dishes or heavy sauces. While this can be true in some regions of the country, the more you explore the cuisine of France in general the more you begin to realize that it is actually all about simplicity, classic cooking methods, high quality ingredients, and seasonality.  Using ingredients on hand whether from the pantry or from the local market, one thing that French cooks do amazingly well is salads.

Composed salads, simple green salads, homemade vinaigrettes and dressings– freshness and simplicity are key here.  A classic French salad is that of red cabbage and a flavorful walnut vinaigrette. With half a head of red cabbage in the fridge from a dish I made last week, I decided to put a spin on that classic flavor combination and make a thinly sliced red cabbage salad flavored with a simple vinaigrette, but with the addiiton of fresh sage and buttery walnut pieces for crunch.  The vinaigrette is made with walnut oil (pecan oil or almond oil would also work well), white balsamic vinegar, and a touch of Dijon mustard. The fresh sage adds a distinct woody taste, and the walnuts help accentuate the flavor of the walnut oil and add a lovely texture to this French-inspired side salad.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

Tagged: cabbage, Dijon mustard, France, French, fresh sage, herbs, red cabbage, red cabbage and walnut salad, Salad, side salad, sliced cabbage, vinaigrette, walnut oil, walnut vinaigrette, walnuts, white balsamic vinegar