Vinaigrette-style Coleslaw recipe

[Saviolo]

So, in keeping with our summery cooking theme, this week we're doing a vinaigrette style coleslaw. A classic side dish for burgers and other grilled meats, and a great picnic food, too! Now, this isn't one you can make in front of your guests, you really need to put it together and let it sit in the fridge for anywhere from 4 to 24 hours before serving, to let the flavours come together and the salt to pull out some of the liquid from the veggies.

This is super basic and you're welcome to spice it up however you like! Chili flakes for heat, or dried herbs like oregano or basil will add new character to this recipe. If you want a little bit of heat you can also add one or two very finely sliced Thai Bird chiles or some Serrano peppers, too.

We're planning on doing the creamier mayo-style coleslaw in a future video, with a different type of cabbage. Chef Caleb feels like the napa cabbage we used for this recipe is a little too delicate for the mayo-based dressing!

[packman]

1. Try adding ramen noodles as another surprise

dry - NOT COOKED - and broken up into small pieces. Surprising crunch and different taste to the mouth. Might even want to lightly toast them in a skillet before putting them into the slaw.

[Saviolo]

2. I could see that being excellent!

We don't frequently have ramen on hand, but I would give that a try. Toasted a little in a skillet and added just before serving? Or would you add it before popping it in the fridge? I feel like that would make the noodles go a little soggy.

[packman]

3. I would add it at the last minute -

Here's a version:

http://www.food.com/recipe/ramen-noodle-slaw-105127

[Saviolo]

4. Also for a little Asian flair:

A handful of toasted sesame seeds (or black sesame!) and a little drizzle of sesame oil just before serving.

[WePurrsevere]

5. This looks great! Does Napa Cabbage taste the same as reg?

I make a coleslaw inspired by once of my mother's old mayo type recipes that's made with pineapple bits. I use a sort of similar light dressing to this one with it but looking at the more airy look of the Napa version I'm wondering if the Napa cabbage may be another tweak I'd like to try.


The sesame seed/oil addition sounds good too... Hmm.. maybe just a touch of teriyaki sauce too? I do so love playing with my food. Thankfully my hubby loves that I do so.

[Saviolo]

6. Napa's a little more delicate

both in texture and flavour. It really is a lovely almost fluffy texture when it's chiffonaded like this, and you can use far more of the stalk/stem than you can on other kinds of cabbage, because it's more tender.

[WePurrsevere]

7. Thank you. It sounds like exactly what I want...

for this so I'm going to see if our local grocery store has it and pick some up next time we go shopping if they do.

[Hortensis]

8. Yum! We had half a Napa cabbage in an Asian-style slaw with

green onions, wasabi, a rice vinegar-based slightly sweetened dressing, and toasted nuts and sesame seeds (instead of the ramen noodles original to this old recipe).
Tonight it's the other half of the cabbage with, to be different, a lime juice, Tamari soy (I'd drink that stuff it it didn't make me sick), chili oil, rice vinegar-type dressing, slicing in a bit of some mustard greens because I have them, scallions and nuts again because we love them, half a red pepper and some currents to add a bit of contrasting sweetness, with sliced avocado. Fish on the side, but the dressing will be nice with it.

Just realized most of this could go in a nice sushi bowl with some rice, nori, maybe a little wasabi sauce for the fish. Another time.

[Saviolo]

9. Sounds awesome

We use rice vinegar a lot, too. Nice a delicate flavour, adds a subtle little acidic zip to lots of things.

If you want something a little different to add some crunch, I do recommend pepitas (shelled pumpkin seeds). Give them a little toast in a dry pan on the stove until they smell a little toasty, and toss'em in. Really nice flavour and nice crunch, too.

Good call on the mustard greens, we frequently use radish greens when they're in season. Then pickle the radishes!

[Hortensis]

13. Well, now maybe I know why my one attempt at salt pickling failed appallingly.

Perhaps the veggies were irradiated. Thanks. I love salty. Lately I've been craving pickled mustard greens from a faraway international market but didn't want to ruin these greens by trying that again, and here you're showing pickled radish. I also love pepitas and tend to toss them in whatever, but particularly when recipes call for pinon nuts. Much better, imo.

[Saviolo]

14. One of the reasons local produce is so important!

We're lucky here in Ontario. There's constant and amazing fresh produce all summer from farmers nearby. Because it doesn't need to be shipped very far, it doesn't need to be irradiated or otherwise treated to kill any beneficial microbes. My husband has pickled so many things, from radish to green beans to turnip to hot pepper.

If you're interested in fermenting your own pickles, this is widely considered the fermentation bible: http://www.wildfermentation.com/the-art-of-fermentation/

[japple]

10. That sounds awesome. Will have to try this one. I don't eat mayo, and am always

looking for good coleslaw recipes. This one is IMHO one of the best. It's for Bobby Flay's Cumin-Lime Coleslaw.
My family LOVED it.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/coleslaw-with-cumin-lime-vinaigrette-recipe-1955797

[Saviolo]

11. This recipe is really a base

And allows for a lot of customization. Add flavours, add spices, add oils and even other veggies. The important bit is enough salt to really let the juices come out of the veggies, and just enough vinaigrette to give flavour to everything without overpowering!

[japple]

12. Yes! That's what good cooking is all about. Creativity.

Thanks for sharing yours.

[csziggy]

15. Mom used to make a vinger coleslaw with what she had on hand

Apple cider vinegar, Lawry seasoned salt, black pepper, and corn oil over the cheapest cabbage in the store. Cheap, easy and fast. She'd mix it up before she started the rest of the meal so the flavors blended.

[dem in texas]

16. yes, that is how my Mom always made it.

I love coleslaw and always have some cabbage in the fridge. I usually start with cabbage and grated carrots and go from there. Oranges, grapes, apples, tomato, green onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, black olives, the combo can go on an on. Same for dressing, except for the Southern Style where the dressing has sugar in it. That I don't like. I usually use ranch dressing with garlic powder and pepper. Oil and vinegar is good too, especially if serving with Mexican or Tex-mex foods

I used to work for a social service agency that had a kitchen that cooked meals for the meals on wheels for a large area. The food director did not like to serve lettuce salads to the Seniors, she said cabbage slaws were easier to digest. So the seniors ate lots of coleslaw and only got lettuce salad once a week.

The lady who ran the kitchen ran a great operation, homemade bread every day. She used surplus foods that the government would give to non-profits, She would invent recipes to make use of the surplus food. My office (the accounting staff) got to try out all her food inventions before she went final. Yum, Yum - Good food memories.

[japple]

18. Oh my, those suggestions make my heart sing! My mother was also incredibly inventive

with coleslaw. I had food allergies as a child (peanut, egg, lentils green peas) and she was always looking for alternatives to mayonaise and peanut butter. Many years later, I am very grateful to my mother for finding recipes that were delicious, flavorful and used easily-accessible ingredients. I know she would have loved this one.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/coleslaw-with-cumin-lime-vinaigrette-recipe-1955797

[trof]

17. OK, did he say 'cold pressed' canola oil?

'Good quality'?
I had no idea there was such a thing.
Educate me?

[Saviolo]

20. My husband did lots of research when he ran his restaurant!

Part of his concept was that he wanted to make sure that everything was locally and sustainably produced. He found an amazing locally produced gamay wine vinegar (which he used for the acid in his hollandaise for brunch!), and this really amazingly full-flavoured locally pressed canola oil:
http://pristinegourmet.com/virginoils/

It has a wonderful full flavour. It's not as complex as fine olive oil, but it is surprisingly delicious compared the cheap grocery store brands!

[Texasgal]

19. I like to use

White wine vinegar
Sesame oil
Dash of soy sauce
Dash of dried mustard
Garlic
Sprinkle of sugar

I also add chopped cilantro!