Cabbage, Radicchio, Grape & Goat’s Cheese Salad

 

An ancient Roman recipe featuring cabbage, lettuce, grapes and goat’s cheese by Rachel Roddy and adapted by her from Sally Grainger’s 'Cooking Apicius', is based on the oldest collection of recipes to survive from antiquity, 'De Re Coquinaria' (The Art of Cooking) attributed to Marcus Gavius Apicius, the famed epicure who flourished in the first century AD. In her book, Grainger presents modern versions of his recipes that can be reproduced in todays modern kitchen, giving us an idea of what the Romans might have eaten over 2000 years ago, such as this vibrant and delicious cabbage salad.

Cabbage, Radicchio, Grape & Goat’s Cheese Salad with Pine Nuts
Serves 4

Recipe courtesy of Rachel Roddy

1 small head cabbage - smooth green or red, or savoy
1 small head radicchio
Salt
Juice of 1/2 orange
4 tbsp olive oil
Handful herbs - parsley, dill, fennel fronds, and fresh thyme, chopped
7 oz green or red grapes, halved and seeds scooped out
7 oz goat’s cheese, crumbled
1 handful pine nuts

Pull off and discard any tough or damaged outer leaves from the cabbage and radicchio, then quarter both heads and cut away the tough cores. Shred the cabbage and radicchio quarters very finely, and set the radicchio aside. Put the cabbage in a bowl, sprinkle with salt, squeeze over the orange juice and add the olive oil, then toss thoroughly with clean hands, squeezing and turning as you go. Add the radicchio, herbs, grapes, goat’s cheese and pine nuts, toss again gently, then serve.