By Barbara Beltrami
Ever wonder where the name coleslaw comes from? I did; so I Googled it and here’s what I found. In the 18th century it arose as a partial translation of the Dutch “koolsalade,” which became “koolsla,” meaning cabbage salad. In England it originally was called cold slaw, but in the 1860s the cole meaning cabbage came back into use. Like so many popular dishes, the classic version comprised of shredded cabbage and carrots has as many versions as people who make it. And in recent years as our veggie horizons have expanded, it’s not just cabbage. Slaw can now be made from jicama, broccoli, kohlrabi, zucchini, beets and fennel … and that’s mentioning just a few of the versions I’ve tasted or seen. Truth be told, I still prefer the classic coleslaw but the other three recipes below run a close second.
Classic Coleslaw
YIELD: Makes 8 to 10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar or honey
1 teaspoon celery seeds
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
½ head green cabbage, very thinly sliced or coarsely shredded
½ head red cabbage very thinly sliced or coarsely shredded
3 medium carrots, peeled and shredded
1 to 2 tablespoons grated onion
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, celery seeds and salt and pepper. Add cabbage, carrots and onion and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 6 hours until ready to serve.
Beet Slaw
YIELD: Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
3 to 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon raspberry vinegar
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
3 medium beets, peeled and grated
1 carrot, peeled and grated
2 cups red cabbage, very thinly sliced
1 small onion, grated
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl whisk together the oil, vinegars, marmalade, mustard, horseradish, salt and pepper. Add the beets, carrot, cabbage, onion and thyme; toss to coat thoroughly. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.
Jicama Slaw
YIELD: Makes 8 to 10 servings
INGREDIENTS:
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons honey or sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 garlic clove, peeled and bruised
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 large jicama, peeled and finely shredded
½ head green cabbage, trimmed and thinly sliced or shredded
2 carrots, shredded
DIRECTIONS:
In large bowl, whisk together lime juice, vinegar, chili power, honey, oil, coriander, salt and pepper and garlic clove; let sit one hour; remove and discard garlic clove. Add cilantro, jicama, cabbage and carrots; toss to coat thoroughly. Cover tightly and refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.
Zucchini Slaw
YIELD: Makes 6 servings
INGREDIENTS:
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1½ tablespoons honey or sugar
½ cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
5 small zucchini, shredded
1 yellow or red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and julienned
1 celery rib, minced
Kernels from 3 ears fresh corn
2 medium fresh tomatoes, diced
DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl whisk together the mayonnaise, oil, vinegar, honey, basil, oregano and salt and pepper. Add the zucchini, bell pepper, celery and corn; toss to coat thoroughly. Just before serving add tomatoes and toss again.
