Little Gems and Cabbage with Pickled Turnips and Lemony Tahini Dressing

This salad was made during a particularly bad hunger emergency (code red) one day, sloppily cobbled together with the contents of my refrigerator, which at the time included half a head of red cabbage and an unopened jar of beet-pickled turnips. As I ate it, probably standing up at my counter, I realized why I loved it so much: it was like eating a falafel sandwich, without the falafel (or pita). It had the tangy, crunchy cabbage, plenty of herbs, and, of course, tahini. While this would otherwise be classified as a kitchen sink kind of salad, I’ve now started intentionally buying those ingredients and keeping this lemon-tahini dressing on hand just so I can make a (refined version of) it at least once a week—with or without a hunger emergency. NOTE: Pickled vegetables are a very secret weapon that I like to sneak into salads whenever I can. They offer crunch and tang, and are a great option if you don’t have any fresh vegetables lying around. Lemony Tahini Dressing Makes about 1 cup I’ve considered buying those little plastic cups that come with takeout salad just so I can carry this dressing with me wherever I go. There’s not much that wouldn’t be improved by it, and while using it to pour over a salad (like the Little Gem lettuce with pickled turnips and cabbage on this page) is an obvious choice, it’s also the kind of thing you’ll want to dip raw vegetables into, serve as a side sauce for roasted chicken, and generally bathe in. Even with just the one clove of garlic, this dressing gets at the point, screaming, “Garlic lovers, this one’s for you!”

Good

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Combine the cucumbers, scallions, preserved lemon, cabbage, turnips, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and let sit a few minutes.

Step 2

Transfer half the cucumber mixture to a large serving platter (or divide among a few plates). Top with the lettuce, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining cucumber mixture and any juices that have accumulated. Scatter the herbs over the top and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the dressing over the salad, serving any left over alongside for more dipping/drizzling.

Step 3

Whisk the tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and ½ cup water together in a small bowl and season with salt and lots of pepper, adding more lemon juice if you like it especially tangy. This dressing can be refrigerated for up to a week, so take advantage of that and make a double batch.

Step 4

DO AHEAD: This dressing will keep for up to 1 week in the refrigerator.