Crystal Cabbage Salad

Originally known as 'Krautsalat,' the dish was brought to the United States by German immigrants, and it was popularized by German-owned restaurants across America. The salad is made with shredded cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, and sauerkraut, topped with a creamy dressing. The dressing normally includes mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, salt, pepper, and sometimes, a splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.

1. Shredding cabbage for the salad the proper way:

Using the correct type of cabbage is essential for this salad. You'll want to use Green or Savoy cabbage. Do not, under any circumstances, use red cabbage. It's also essential to shred or finely chop the cabbage by hand or with a mandolin. You want your cabbage pieces to be roughly the same size as your shredded carrots and matchsticks of bell pepper so that everything marinates evenly.

2. Onions and dressing:

You can use red onion or yellow onion, which both pair well with the other ingredients in this dish; the onion flavor, along with the matchsticked bell peppers, provides a nice balance to the pungency of the cabbage and tanginess of the dressing. Speaking of tangy, there's the dressing. Yes, blue cheese crumbles look lovely sprinkled on top of the salad, but they're not mandatory. You could simply use mayonnaise, or you could add sour cream to balance the tang from the sauerkraut.

3. Why sauerkraut, not raw cabbage, is used:

Despite the name of this salad, crystal cabbage salad does not actually contain raw cabbage. When this salad is prepared, sauerkraut is used. Why? Well, it's definitely not because it's easier to not chop up raw cabbage - this salad takes a bit of work. It's because raw cabbage is too crunchy and strong. Only the tenderized, tangy sauerkraut will do.

Let's add some crunchy and crispy elements:

Sliced, toasted almonds or walnuts can provide that crunch you crave, and they also pair amazingly well with cabbage. Don't worry too much about toasting nuts; this won't overpower the dish. Then there's shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese. Shredded carrots, which provide a lovely interlude from the slightly pungent flavors of the salad dressing and cabbage, are also recommended.

Final touch: caraway seeds!

You'll often find caraway seeds sprinkled on top of this salad at German-American restaurants, and with good reason - they're delicious. They also add a bit of crunch. If caraway seeds, which have a flavor similar to anise, aren't your thing, or you'd like to mix things up, sesame seeds or poppy seeds could also be used. Or leave them off altogether, but it won't be a traditional German dish without those seeds!