Mosa Vegetable Salad Recipe

Place the thinly sliced purple cabbage in a heatproof bowl or jar.

In a small saucepan combine vinegar, water, sugar, salt and optional seeds. Heat over medium until sugar dissolves and the mixture just comes to a simmer, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Pour the warm pickling liquid over the cabbage, pressing down so the cabbage is submerged. Let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes — ideally 2 hours — before using. Pickled cabbage will keep refrigerated up to 1 week.

In a small bowl or jar combine lemon juice, honey (or maple), Dijon, salt and pepper. Whisk or shake until salt and honey dissolve.

Slowly whisk in the olive oil until the dressing emulsifies. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more lemon for brightness, honey for sweetness, or salt for seasoning. Refrigerate briefly if not using immediately; bring to room temperature before dressing the salad.

Wash and dry the mixed greens thoroughly and place them in a large mixing bowl.

Prepare remaining fresh produce: halve cherry tomatoes; thinly slice cucumbers; julienne or shred the carrot; dice the avocado and toss the pieces immediately with a squeeze of lemon (from the dressing amount) to prevent browning.

Drain the pickled purple cabbage well (reserve a little pickling liquid if you like extra tang) and add about 3/4 of it to the bowl with greens.

Add tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, seasonal fruit and avocado to the bowl.

Pour about half of the dressing over the salad and gently toss with salad tongs until everything is evenly coated. Add more dressing to taste, but be careful not to overdress.

Transfer the salad to a serving bowl or portion onto plates. Sprinkle toasted seeds or nuts, chopped fresh herbs and crumbled cheese (if using) over the top. Add remaining pickled cabbage as a colorful garnish.

Serve immediately. Leftover dressed salad can become limp — keep extra dressing and pickled cabbage separate if planning to store leftovers for up to 1 day.