I could have spent this past weekend, which was unseasonably warm and gloriously sunny, finishing the chore that never ends: garden clean up. Instead, I hiked every day in a nearby conservation area (safer than the state parks I usually frequent with my dogs and kids: it's hunting season in New York, and orange-clad or not, I prefer not to take chances).

I wasn't totally avoiding the garden, though. In between walks, while I cooked for family and friends, I thought about what I didn’t grow this year and planned ahead for next. Take that most ordinary vegetable: cabbage. I let it  fall out of my rotation this year. I grew it last season with decent results but lost enough to cabbage worms (yes, those cabbage worms) that I decided not to plant it again this year. I thought I wouldn’t miss having my own home-grown supply. After all, even organically grown cabbage is pretty inexpensive and easy to find. All summer, we ate less coleslaw, we made do.

And then in the heat of Thanksgiving planning, I remembered a Thai-influenced cabbage salad I concocted last year. It had its origins in a sudden, vivid memory of a green papaya salad I ate in Thailand a dozen years ago. Green papayas aren't easy to come by in my corner of the world, so I experimented with a mix of cabbage and cucumber.

This salad is where that memory led. It's super simple, bright green, and a perfect mix of substantial and light -- just right for this time in between holiday feasts. Now I’m convinced: cabbage has to go in next year’s gardens. But reintroducing cabbage will take some planning. It can’t follow any other cruciferous vegetable in the beds. In other words, wherever I’ve had cabbage, kale, broccoli, or brussels sprouts the last two years, I can't plan cabbage next summer. (Some gardeners say you should allow three years between cruciferous plantings, while others say only one. I’m compromising with two.)

I’m thinking the garden’s center bed, which this year hosted most of my tomatoes, will be the best cabbage spot, but I also have to do something about those cabbage loopers. I know I’m too lazy and too pressed for time to pick moth larvae off plants every day. Floating row covers, lightweight fabric blankets that let in sun and water but keep out insects, always seemed more appropriate for farmers than hapless gardeners like me, but in the interest of kimchi and cabbage salad, next year I’ll be stepping up my game.

NEEDING: Floating row covers are inexpensive and receive rave reviews from gardeners for pest control and temperature regulation. They prevent plants from frying on hot days and can even help extend your season by keeping the ground warm. This simple type doesn’t even require wire supports: you just lay it over the plants and either pin or weight down the edges. I’m sold.

SEEDING: Cabbage grows best if it’s started inside and planted as seedlings outdoors. Baker Creek, a leading purveyor of organic and heirloom seeds, has an incredible selection of varieties.

FEEDING: This salad hits your tastebuds on all notes: sour, sweet, salty, and -- thanks to the fish sauce -- umami, too. It’s easiest to make if you have a mandoline, but you can julienne the vegetables with a knife if you don’t. The hands-on part is all chopping and cutting, so it comes together quickly. It holds well (and is even good the next day, though the nuts will lose most of their crunch) so is a good choice for pot lucks or (next summer!) picnics.

Thai Cabbage Salad
Serves 8-10

1/2 a head of green cabbage or napa cabbage (either is delicious)
1 large carrot
1 bunch scallions
1 cucumber (any variety is fine; peeled or unpeeled according to your preference)
1 red pepper
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lime juice, or more to taste
1/4 cup Vietnamese fish sauce (nuoc mam) available in many supermarkets or Asian grocers
1/8 cup agave nectar (or substitute 2 T sugar)
1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek or hot sauce of your choice; more or less to taste
3/4 cup roasted cashews (I prefer salted, but unsalted are good, too)
3/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
1/2 cup coarsely chopped mint

Core the cabbage and slice it very thinly, as if for coleslaw. You should have about six cups of cabbage. Peel and julienne the carrot and cucumber: you want long, matchstick-sized pieces. Cut the red pepper into 1/4-inch dice. Chop the scallions, including at least a couple inches of the greens.

In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, agave (or sugar), and hot sauce. Taste and correct the seasoning to your liking; I like a nice balance of salty, sweet, sour, and hot. Add the vegetables and toss together. Let sit for 15 minutes (longer is fine, too; cover and refrigerate for up to two hours before serving).

Just before serving, add the cashews and herbs and toss lightly just to combine.