Pear, cabbage and white turnip slaw with Manchego

A crisp, delicious salad that’s great all year round!

If you’re not familiar with Manchego cheese, I am excited to introduce you to it. A sheep’s milk cheese that hails from the La Mancha region in Spain, it’s got a beautiful semi-hard, granular texture and a salty, almost nutty flavour with undertones of fruit. It graces our table often, being featured in everything from cheese boards to grilled cheese sandwiches to soup toppings and more. In the case of this salad, the cheese adds a fantastic pop to the taste. If you have trouble finding Manchego, Italian Pecorino would be an excellent substitute.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) rice or cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) maple syrup or honey
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/4 (60 mL) cup olive oil
• 4 cups (14 oz/400 g) very thinly sliced green cabbage
• 1 large ripe pear, unpeeled, cut in matchsticks
• 1 medium white turnip, peeled and grated
• 1 cup (3 oz/85 g) Manchego cheese, grated, divided
• 1/3 cup roasted sunflower seeds
• Small handful fresh parsley leaves, minced

Method

• Make vinaigrette. Shake together in a small jar with a tight lid the vinegar, Dijon, maple syrup, and a few pinches each of salt and pepper. Add olive oil and shake again; taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
• Combine cabbage, pear, turnip and 2/3 of the Manchego in a large bowl. Drizzle dressing over top and toss to combine; season with salt and pepper.
• Top with sunflower seeds, parsley and remaining Manchego.

Serves 4-6.