Napa cabbage makes a great slaw; it's both more tender and less juicy than regular cabbage, so it softens easily without making a puddle at the bottom of the bowl. We like to pair it with carrots for color and crunch. You can change the flavor of the slaw, of course, by mixing up the seasonings. Basically you want salt and acid and a little bit of fat, plus whatever herbs or spices strike your fancy. Here are three ideas:

This recipe makes a great taco filling, a side to rice and beans, or a salad to go with grilled fish or meats. It takes quick pickled onions and adds two root-cellar staples: cabbage and carrots. Change the seasoning to complement your recipe - you could use bay leaves and peppercorns or herbs de provence instead of the spices listed here, for example.

This is an easy Asian-inspired salad. You don’t need to peel the cucumbers, since they are young and tender, but it looks pretty to peel off “stripes” of skin before you slice them. Of course, you can leave out the steak and make it even simpler (or replace it with chicken, seitan, or tofu). With the steak, this should serve 4.