Miso Napa Cabbage Salad with Fried Shallots

Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 7 mins | Course: Dinner | Serves: 6

Napa cabbage salad topped with fried shallots and a lovely creamy miso dressing. inspired by Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen. https://smittenkitchen.com/2024/08/napa-cabbage-wedge-with-miso-dressing/

1 Napa cabbage head, quartered

2 shallots, shaved thin

¼ cup olive oil

3 green onions, minced

1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar 

1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds 

Miso Dressing:

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp mayonnaise 

2 Tbsp white miso

3 Tbsp sesame oil 

2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp fish sauce

Salt and pepper, to taste 

Cut the cabbage into 4 wedges leaving the core intact. Rinse and allow to soak in a large bowl of cool water about 10 minutes (longer is fine). Allow to dry on a kitchen (or paper) towel. Place wedges on a salad platter (if really large, slice again into 1/8ths. Drizzle with the rice wine vinegar. Top with green onions and sesame seeds. 

Slice shallots thin with a mandolin or as thin and evenly as possible with a knife. Fry the shallots in a large skillet with the olive oil over a medium-high flame until they are a light golden color. Turn off the heat and let them continue to turn a more copper color. Watch closely that they don’t burn. Transfer to a paper towel with tongs or a fork, and salt. Immediately transfer them to another plate so they don’t lose their crunch by getting soggy. You can reuse the lovely shallot scented oil in another recipe. 

Mix the dressing ingredients in a 2 cup measurer with a small whisk. Scatter the crispy shallots over the wedges and drizzle with the dressing just before serving.