This is the kind of salad that works just as well for a relaxed weeknight dinner as it does on a table full of guests. Red cabbage and fennel provide serious crunch, Medjool dates add soft caramel-like sweetness, and sharp white cheddar brings enough richness to make the dish feel substantial.

The cleverest part, however, is the shallot oil. Instead of treating fried shallots as nothing more than a topping, their fragrant cooking oil becomes the base of a tangy mustard dressing. The result takes about 40 minutes and makes four servings.

What You’ll Need

¾ cup raw walnut halves or blanched hazelnuts

2 large shallots, thinly sliced into rings

⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed

½ tsp kosher salt, plus extra to taste

1 garlic clove, finely grated

⅓ cup white vinegar

3 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp Aleppo-style pepper or other mild chilli flakes

450 g red cabbage, cored and thinly sliced

2 small fennel bulbs, cored and thinly sliced

5 oz Medjool dates, about 6–8, pitted and thinly sliced lengthwise

3 oz sharp white cheddar, cut into small cubes

You can replace the fennel with one head of celery, or use a mixture of both if you want an even more varied crunch.

1. Toast the Nuts

Preheat the oven to 180°C and place a rack in the middle.

Spread the walnuts or hazelnuts across a baking tray and toast for 7–9 minutes, stirring once or twice, until fragrant and golden.

Let them cool before crushing them roughly.

Tip: keep the pieces fairly large. Tiny crumbs disappear into the salad, while bigger pieces provide a much more satisfying contrast to the vegetables.

2. Fry the Shallots

Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl before you begin—you will need to save the oil.

Add the sliced shallots and olive oil to a medium frying pan and cook over medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring frequently.

The shallots should gradually soften, turn golden and become crisp around the edges.

Pour everything through the sieve, allowing the flavoured oil to collect in the bowl. Transfer the shallots to paper towels and season them immediately with a little salt.

Why it works: slowly frying the shallots does two jobs at once. You get a crisp topping while their flavour infuses the oil that will become the dressing.

3. Build the Dressing

While the shallot oil is still full of flavour, whisk in the grated garlic, vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, chilli flakes and salt.

Taste before adding anything else.

You are looking for a balance between acidity, sweetness and mustardy sharpness. The honey softens the vinegar, while the mild chilli adds warmth without turning the salad aggressively spicy.

Tip: if the dressing tastes too intense on its own, do not worry. Once spread across a large bowl of cabbage and fennel, its flavour becomes much gentler.

4. Dress the Vegetables

Place the thinly sliced cabbage and fennel in a large bowl.

Pour over about half of the dressing and toss thoroughly so the vegetables are evenly coated.

Now add the sliced dates, cheddar cubes and most of the fried shallots, reserving some for the top.

Toss gently rather than aggressively. You want the dates and cheese distributed throughout the salad without breaking them apart.

Add more dressing if the vegetables still look dry. A small drizzle of extra olive oil can also soften the acidity if needed.

5. Finish With Crunch

Pile the salad high onto a wide serving platter or shallow bowl.

Scatter the toasted nuts and remaining crispy shallots generously over the top.

Serve any leftover dressing on the side rather than pouring everything over at once.

Best texture: every forkful should contain several contrasts—crisp cabbage, fresh fennel, chewy dates, creamy cheddar and something crunchy from either the nuts or shallots.

Make It Ahead

This salad is unusually practical for advance preparation.

Fried shallots can be prepared up to one week ahead and stored airtight at room temperature. The strained shallot oil can be refrigerated for up to one month, while the finished dressing keeps for three days.

The vegetables can even be sliced several days ahead, and the assembled salad without nuts can be refrigerated for up to two days.

That makes it particularly useful for entertaining or meal prep.