I love coleslaw. And everyone I know loves coleslaw. But you can rarely get a decent coleslaw in a restaurant these days. I know, I’ve tried. The coleslaw dressing is usually either flavorless or non-existent, and all you taste is the cabbage, or the dressing has ingredients that don’t seem to go with the cabbage. I really just don’t get it! It’s not like the chef is being asked to build a world class dish here. It’s a couple chopped veggies in a simple dressing, for goodness sake!
So basically, I’ve given up on restaurant coleslaw. When I order fish and chips, I usually try and get a green salad in place of the chips and almost always when asked if I still want the coleslaw, I say no thanks. Perhaps I’m taking the negative approach, but darn it, at my age if the coleslaw I get in restaurants is only good about 1% of the time, why bother? Truly, I have not found a decent coleslaw in a restaurant for decades, so that leads me to believe it’s probably not going to happen again in my lifetime.
So what to do when I want a delicious coleslaw? I build it myself! And this coleslaw that I made recently to go with an Oktoberfest meal is a true winner.
Usually I don’t much care for sweet dressings. But this dressing is absolutely lovely and perfect with rich German food. I found the recipe on the allrecipes site. I added a bit of black pepper to the original dressing recipe and a small amount of red cabbage and carrot mainly for the color. Other than that, the recipe is straight off the site. And I truly can’t wait for you to try it. Just make sure that you grate the vegetables into very small pieces. This helps create the “creamy” consistency that sets this coleslaw apart.
So grate up a Cruciferous veggie or two, an Apiaceae (formerly known as Umbelliferae) and whip up this simple dressing. Mix all together, let marinate in your refrigerator for a couple hours, and prepare yourself for a coleslaw that will knock your socks off.
Now granted, coleslaw is probably never going to be the number one food you request for your 75th birthday celebration. But when done right, coleslaw is just delightful, as well as being an economical alternative to more pricey salads that contain boutique greens and expensive salad dressing ingredients. And – it’s crunchy. One thing most green salads lack.
So give it a try. And if you really want to go on a coleslaw adventure, there are several other delicious coleslaw recipes on my site. Try them all. Amaze your family and friends. Be the first on your block. Dare to be different. Take the plunge. And have fun – that’s what it’s all about!
- 3 T. sugar
- 3 T. cider vinegar
- ½ tsp. celery seed
- ½ tsp. kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper (not too much)
- ½ c. mayonnaise
- ½ lg. head green cabbage, grated (I use my food processor)
- 1/8 head red cabbage, grated
- 1 small carrot, grated
Whisk together the sugar, vinegar, celery seed, salt, pepper, and mayonnaise. Pour over the cabbage and carrot, stir to combine, and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours. Stir well before serving.