Sure, sure, you could say this is just a riff on the salad I posted last winter, the one with the shaved Brussels and kale with tahini-lemon-maple dressing.

But this one’s way different. For one thing, there’s cabbage in this one—big heads, not those little mini guys. And for another, there’s honey, not maple syrup.

So, yeah, this is totally different.

Tahini Slaw

I used a gorgeous head of Savoy cabbage we got in this week’s sharebox, plus a half-head of red cabbage left over from last week. Any cabbage will do. So would any brassica, for that matter; try broccoli, kohlrabi, Brussels, or dinasaur kale. 

For the dressing

• 2/3 cup tahini
• juice of 1 large lemon
• 1-2 tbsp honey, to taste
• 1/4 cup very hot water
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1-2 tsp harissa, to taste (or ground cayenne or Za’atar)

For the slaw

• 8 cups cabbage, sliced into thin ribbons or shredded
• 1 small red onion, halved and sliced thin
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1/2 cup toasted, slivered almonds (or chopped roasted pistachios, peanuts, or cashews)
• optional add-ins: pomegranate seeds, craisins, raisins, dried cherries

In a small bowl, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice, and honey. It’ll seize up and make a thick paste, but that’s okay at this point. The water and oil will thin it out.

While stirring as best you can, slowly stream in about half of the hot water, then half the oil. You should be able to really get a whisk going again now, so add in enough of the remaining water and oil until you get a fully emulsified, pourable consistency. Season with the harissa and salt, to taste.

In a large bowl, toss together the cabbage, carrots, and onion. Stir in the dressing, tossing well to coat all the vegetables. Just before serving, top with the nuts and garnish with the fruit, if you like.