This mild, addictively delicious salad -- which falls somewhere between coleslaw and sauerkraut -- is a traditional German recipe that was made by my relatives. This dish was a favorite of my mother's when she was a child, but as the recipe was not written down, she recreated it based on her taste memory. The key to this recipe is soaking the cabbage in boiling salt water, which wilts the cabbage and gives it a lovely soft texture yet a bit of crunch. The cabbage is best if shredded quite fine -- we use a mandoline in our family, but the long blade of a box grater, the slicing blade of a food processor, or even a sharp, long knife will also work well. This dish is a wonderful accompaniment to almost any meal and is especially nice with roasted meats, poultry, or fish. At the bottom of the recipe I've included a modern variation that uses additional vegetables and herbs, which adds extra vibrancy and complexity to this salad. Try both versions!

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