3 Ways to Go Beyond Cabbage with Coleslaw
By Elaine Corn
Trying to please everyone with one type of coleslaw is impossible. There are so many ways to change it, so many mothers to credit for passing down the family favorite, so many trends giving slaw a rebirth.
New slaws have apples, walnuts, wasabi, sunflower seeds, pickle relish, raisins, cilantro, peanut butter (peanut butter?) and even beets and blue cheese. And while cabbage may be slaw's classic crop, it's not the only one. Other cruciferous vegetables that now star in slaw are kale, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, broccoli stems and cauliflower hearts. Some slaws don't even have cabbage. Instead, shredded zucchini, fennel and carrots make the base.
Because slaw is never consumed immediately after it's made, it's the ultimate make-ahead. Made ahead, slaw also has a tasty benefit. The miracle of food chemistry both enhances and mellows the taste as it sits, so it's better the day after, and the day after that. Start a slaw this morning and it will be ready for its Day 1 version by dinner.
RELATED: How about a hot slaw for a twist?
A well-balanced slaw, with a bit of sugar and bite from vinegar, is a palate cleanser, an intermezzo, the high note in your mouth. If your salivary glands are already experiencing an involuntary trigger similar to what happens when you think of eating a pickle, that's what's supposed to happen when you think of slaw. It's happening to me right now.
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KOHLRABI-FENNEL SLAW
Kohlrabi is a member of the brassica family, just like cabbage. Here, it's used raw, so you can pick up a kohlrabi without even knowing how to cook it. It's bland and watery, a bit like jicama. It can take just about any dressing.
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the slaw:
1 whole kohlrabi, peeled and shredded
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
½ red onion, very thinly sliced
¼ cup finely minced fennel fronds
Curls of zest from 1 orange or tangerine
For the dressing:
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
¼ teaspoon pimentón (smoked paprika)
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
¼ teaspoon salt
White pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Place shredded kohlrabi in a large strainer. Sprinkle with salt, toss, and let sit while you prepare the other ingredients. Squeeze kohlrabi of excess water. Combine kohlrabi with remaining slaw ingredients.
2. In a lidded container or jar, shake vinegar, pimentón, sugar, mayonnaise, sour cream, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over slaw, tossing well by hand.
3. Cover in plastic wrap and chill several hours or overnight. To serve, sprinkle slaw with a fine sprinkling of more pimentón.
RELATED: How world influences have made our salads fun and lively.
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KALE SLAW With RED ONION, GOLDEN RAISINS AND WALNUTS
Kale makes a surprisingly light slaw. I used fuchsia-tinged Russian kale.
Serves 6
Ingredients
For the slaw:
1 bunch kale, leaves julienned (about 8 cups)
½ medium red onion, very thinly sliced
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup fresh walnut halves
For the dressing:
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon coarse salt
Ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Have cabbage ready in a large bowl.
2. In a lidded jar or container, shake lemon juice, honey, oil and mustard until honey is well blended. Add mayonnaise, salt and pepper and shake until smooth. Dressing will be slightly runny.
3. Pour dressing over slaw mixture. Toss to evenly coat.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and chill. Keeps a week.
RELATED: For a Korean take on slaw, try Napa cabbage kimchi.
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TEXICAN SLAW
I first had this flavor combination in corn salad. To repurpose cabbage for the concept, it's chopped. The acid from lime jolts the palate while the sour cream subdues the chiles. Addictive!
Serves 10
Ingredients
For the slaw:
3 fresh poblano (green) chiles, roasted, peeled and diced
1 head green cabbage, chopped in ½-inch dice
2 fresh jalapeño peppers, peeled, seeded and minced
1 jicama, peeled and chopped in ¼-inch cubes
For the dressing:
2 avocados
2 cups sour cream
¼ cup lime juice
1 tablespoon pimentón (smoked paprika), or to taste
¼ teaspoon salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Process avocado with all dressing ingredients in a blender or food processor.
2. Pour dressing over slaw ingredients. Toss to evenly coat. Taste, adding salt, pepper, pimentón or lime juice, as desired.
3. Cover with plastic wrap; chill overnight. Stir before serving. Keeps a week.
Zester Daily contributor Elaine Corn is a James Beard Award-winning cookbook author and food editor. A former editor at the Louisville Courier-Journal and the Sacramento Bee, Corn has written six cookbooks and contributed food stories to National Public Radio.
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