Cook with Adeena Sussman and Sharon Wieder: Cabbage, apple and pomegranate slaw

Enjoy this deliciously flavorful recipe from one of Sharsheret in the Kitchen’s incredible guests during the month of October, cookbook author Adeena Sussman (@adeenasussman). Sussman and her sister, Sharon Wieder, a registered dietitian nutritionist, will prepare mouthwatering side dishes and share food swaps aimed at making meals more healthful when they lead the next free, national Sharsheret in the Kitchen webinar, called “Simply Sensational Sides,” at 11 a.m. PDT Monday, Oct. 18. Also, learn about Sharsheret’s Pies for Prevention Thanksgiving sale, which was launched in 2008 by Sussman and Wieder in memory of their mother and grandmother, whom they lost to ovarian cancer.

Sharsharet is a national nonprofit whose goal is to improve the “lives of Jewish women and families living with or at increased genetic risk for breast or ovarian cancer,” according to its mission statement.

This program is part of the “Sharsheret in the Kitchen” series, which brings nutritious kosher meal options to help people at risk for female-related cancers make healthful diet choices. This program is made possible with support from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Click here to register.

Recipe from “Sababa: Fresh, Sunny Flavors From My Israeli Kitchen” by Adeena Sussman, published by Avery (2019). Photograph by Dan Perez.

Cabbage, Apple and Pomegranate Slaw with Cumin Dressing
Serves 8 to 10
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

The joy of a tricked-out falafel stand is the unlimited supply of goodies you can stuff into your pita. It used to be you’d stand in front of the miznon (bar) and use tongs to refill your pita as many times as humanly possible. These days, in a development I have mixed feelings about, more and more places give you tiny plastic receptacles to fill and take back to your table. This recipe is a fresher, more colorful version of the wilted cabbage salad you’ll find on every self-serve falafel or shawarma bar. Tart apples and pomegranate seeds, loads of fresh herbs, two kinds of crunchy cabbage and pumpkin seeds come together in a cumin-laced dressing that evokes the flavor profile of falafel itself. Stuff it into the sandwich of your choice, or use it as a more conventional side salad with meat or fish.

1 medium apple, cored and thinly sliced
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
4 cups shredded green cabbage
4 cups shredded red cabbage
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 large carrot, shredded
2 scallions (green and white parts), very thinly sliced
2 medium radishes, very thinly sliced
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1½ tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
1½ teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup pomegranate seeds
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup chopped fresh mint
½ cup shelled pumpkin seeds (pepitas), lightly toasted

In a large salad bowl, toss the apples with 1 teaspoon of vinegar, then add the green and red cabbage, onion, carrot, scallions and radishes and toss. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, combine the olive oil, remaining vinegar, honey, mustard, cumin, salt and pepper and shake until creamy. Pour the dressing over the salad, toss to coat, and let the slaw sit for at least 15 minutes (30 minutes will really mellow the acidity of the vinegar), then toss again with the pomegranate seeds, cilantro, mint and pumpkin seeds before serving.

Sharsheret, a nonprofit, serves the Jewish breast cancer and ovarian cancer community. If you or someone you love has been impacted by breast or ovarian cancer, or has elevated genetic risk, contact Sharsheret for free support and resources. For more information, visit their website or call (866) 474-2774.