Jim Dixon wrote about food for WW for more than 20 years, but these days most of his time is spent at his olive oil-focused specialty food business Wellspent Market. Jim’s always loved to eat, and he encourages his customers to cook by sending them recipes every week through his newsletter. We’re happy to have him back creating some special dishes just for WW readers.

Inspired by the same meal at Via Carota that led to the charred leeks recipe, this salad combines my favorite vegetable with a handful of other ingredients and proves, once again, that cabbage is delicious. Tossing it with a little salt and letting it sit for a while, a much faster version of my barely fermented cabbage, makes the cabbage a bit more tender.

While green cabbage is ubiquitous, not many stores sell naked barley. Also called hulless barley, it has a loosely attached hull that slips off. The more common pearled barley has had its hull and most of the bran ground off, a process that removes fiber and nutrients. We’ve got the last of Ayers Creek Farm’s final harvest at Wellspent Market (the couple who ran the farm sold it to move closer to family in New York), a blend that Anthony Boutard called migration barley since it’s a blend of naked barleys from around the world. Other growers offer naked barleys online, and whole-grain farro or other wheat berries can be substituted.

Salted Cabbage With Naked Barley

1/2 head green cabbage, very thinly sliced

1/2 cup naked barley

4 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated

1 teaspoon kosher-style sea salt, plus more to cook the barley

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons wine vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the half head of cabbage in half and cut out the core (you can toss it in the compost or cut it into small, thin pieces and add it to the rest of the cabbage). Place the quartered cabbage cut side down and cut it into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Cut the sliced cabbage into pieces roughly 1 1/2 inches long, then combine in a bowl with the salt. Toss well, then set aside and let rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

While the cabbage is resting, put the barley in a saucepan, add water to cover by 1 inch or more, sprinkle in a pinch of salt, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the grains are tender. Drain and let cool.

Assemble the salad by combining the cabbage, barley, grated cheese, olive oil and vinegar. Add the black pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.