When something bears the name “best ever,” curiosity immediately takes over and I cannot help but fantasize about having this life-altering experience. In the case of the Fergus Salad from Lucky Peach, I was intrigued but how such a simple and healthy ruby-hued salad could fall into this category. I learned from tasting that the finer the slice here the better, for the cabbage, onion, and beets. Minus the red fingers and knife work, this salad is crisp, refreshing, creamy, and herby in all of the best ways. It is also perfect for summer, and quite inexpensive to make for a group. Read on for the first installation of my easy summer salad series.

Fergus Salad

Makes 6 servings

1 T extra-virgin olive oil

1 T balsamic vinegar

1 T capers

+ sea salt and black pepper

2 beets, peeled and finely grated (1 1/2 C)

1⁄4 head red cabbage, cored and very finely sliced (3–4 C)

1 small red onion, peeled, cut in half from top to bottom and finely sliced

1 C crème fraîche (or sub plain Greek yogurt)

1 C chervil, picked, or curly parsley (because it is hard to find chervil sometimes!)

1. Combine the olive oil, vinegar, and capers in a bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste. It should be aggressive but not an assault. Toss all your red vegetables in the dressing.
2. Make the plates: a blop of Crème fraîche, a pile of red vegetables, a pile of the herb you’ve ended up with in a quantity that seems generous and looks good. Encourage your friends to make a mess of this good-looking plate at the table to get the most out of it.

Original recipe can be found here.