I'm the beginner gardener here at Kings Seeds, but I love listening to everyone discussing what they are growing, whilst peering into their lunch-boxes and admiring the salads they have picked fresh from their gardens that morning.  My lettuces have all turned up their toes due to the huge amounts of rain over the holidays and feedback from customers suggests that I am not the only one struggling with this scenario.  I have no room to get mesclun going, but as a result of being braver and giving other things a try, I have grown my first red cabbages.
They are fantastic when you cut into them and they are so tight that they slice perfectly into nice thin strings.

I would like to share two favourite salads that I have been whipping up - both a hot and a cold salad that are based on red cabbage.  I have also discovered that cabbage works really well with the lovely bottle of
Wild Thyme Gourmet cherry vinegar that I purchased from the Cromwell markets, as it adds a delicious hint of sweetness.  I suspect raspberry vinegar would also be yummy, or any vinegar with a fruit addition.

Simple Red Coleslaw

Mix together the following:

• Red cabbage - thinly sliced
• Carrot - grated
• Beetroot - grated raw
• Chives - chopped (can substitute coriander or parsley)

Mix together the following for a dressing - add more of each ingredient if you require more dressing:
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/4 cup Cherry vinegar
Salt & cracked pepper

Hot Glazed Red Coleslaw

• 1 Tbsp Oil
• 30g Butter
• Onion, chopped
• 1/2 Red cabbage
• 1/2 cup Port
• 1/2 cup Fruit chutney
• 1/4 cup Cherry vinegar (or White wine vinegar)
• 1 Tbsp Brown sugar

Cook onion in oil & butter in large pot or pan.
Add cabbage and cook to desired crunchiness.
Add remainder of ingredients.
Simmer until liquid has reduced and cabbage is glazed.
Serve hot.

I hope you enjoy trying these out and as always, we would love your feedback or any other red cabbage recipes you would like to share with us.