Rainbow Winter Slaw with Cider Syrup Vinaigrette

In the winter I long for bright flavors and crunchy salads to go with the warmth of the soups and stews that are in constant rotation. This salad fits all those needs - a rainbow of colors come from the red cabbage and pink radishes, as well as differnt hues of orange carrots. The vinaigrette is quick to whip up and good on any salad.

Ingredients for salad:

4 cups of finely shredded red cabbage 2 - 3 scallions, chopped finely 2 psychedelic radishes - they're turnip sized so if you can't find these, use a small bunch of regular radishes, julienned 2 cups of shredded mixed color carrots 1 cup of chopped flat leaf parsley

mix everything together in a bowl

Ingredients for Cider Syrup Vinaigrette: 1/4 cup cider syrup 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil 1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon sea salt

shake vigorously in a mason jar to emulsify

Pour desired amount of vinaigrette over the salad - some like more than others. Save anything leftover for tomorrow's salad (store in the refrigerator).

fried apples and cider syrup

This is a very simple way to make Sunday pancakes or waffles extra special. It really is just a process, not exactly a recipe, but, oh yum! This could also be spooned over a simple cake or even ice cream.

Slice firm apples that hold their shape when cooked. I used Goldrush, but other easy to find varieties could be honeycrisp, mutsu, or pink lady. Think at least one apple per person, but you might want to make 2 per person becuase they will be devoured. Fry them in a few tablespoons of butter, adding more if needed, until they begin to carmelize then add 1-2 Tablespoon(s) of cider syrup per apple. Toss and let the syrup cling to the apples, turn off the heat, and serve warm on top of your favorite pancake or waffle recipe - or whatever else suits your fancy. Drizzle more cider syrup over your tall stack to your liking.

Pan fried scallops with cider syrup

These pan fried scallops are coated in a sweet and savory apple glaze. Scallops are already so good that it is almost gilding the lily. Almost.

Prep Time 5 minutes    Cook Time 15 minutes

Ingredients:

    1 small shallot
    2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
    1/4 cup dry hard cider (I used our Golden Russet blend)
    1/4 tsp. salt
    2 tbsp. cider syrup

Instructions:

1. Coat the saute pan with olive oil and heat on medium hot.

2. Place the scallops in the pan so they are evenly spaced and have a flat side touching the pan. Brown one side, then flip to brown the other. They need about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove from the pan when just cooked.

3. Add a little more olive oil if the pan is dry, and saute the minced shallots until they begin to turn translucent - about a minute.

4. Add the hard cider and allow it to cook off for about another minute. Add the cider syrup and salt, whisk to combine, then put the cooked scallops back in the pan, flipping them to coat them with the glaze. The glaze will reduce a little and the heat should be turned off immediately if it begins too dark - you want it to caramelize but not burn, and this whole process takes less than a minute so don't walk away from the pan.

5. Plate up the scallops and spoon any extra glaze over the top.