Thank you Bob – that is a new one for me – the almost pureed onion, I mean.
Caraway is ok but I prefer it in schnapps/aquavit. It doesn't prevent
flatulence and it is disruptive in cole slaw. Just when you are settling
down to the spicy, sweet and salty taste of the cabbage, the slightly
bitter, acrid taste of caraway distracts your taste buds. I don't love it
in rye bread either.
I can't begin to think how many times I've eaten cole slaw – especially
when we were tight for money.
My own recipes:
Basic:
1. Head of young and sweet light-green cabbage, quartered with the stem core
(the heart!) removed. None of that giant, fibrous cabbage stuff and no
red/blue/purple cabbage -it is too coarse and tough.
2. Carefully slice down across the short dimension of each quarter of the
cabbage – widths no greater than 1/4 of an inch, preferably less. Do not
dice or chop cabbage or throw it about impatiently.
At this point, I usually wash the sliced cabbage in a colander and then dry
it throughly – but then I'm the only one I know who does that.
3. Use a mandoline to slice one-half (or more!) of an onion very thinly. Or
if you are truly skilled, slice it with a knife. Don't worry if you cry
into the onion it – it will improve the flavor.
4.Two or three large sweet carrots – taste them first! – grated. If you
haven't got sweet carrots, leave them out. Consider very finely julienned
sweet red or yellow peppers as a possible alternative to carrots – but much
more work to do that
5. Toss with dressing and let stand – an hour is ok, more is better. In the
fridge, of course.
Basic dressings:
1. Mayonnaise – If store bought check for taste and add dijon mustard, some
lemon or vinegar (apple cider vinegar, malt vinegar, rice vinegar – not wine
vinegar) – not too much!
You can add some white wine, very little, maybe a tablespoon.
Some white sugar – a scant teaspoon or less.
Fresh ground pepper. Me, I like a bit of hot sauce as well.
Salt, only after you have tossed the salad with the mayonnaise and found it
lacking in salt!
2. Oil (olive, walnut) and vinegar – some dijon mustard, fresh ground
pepper and salt, a teaspoon or less of sugar, to taste,shaken (not
stirred),. Not too much salt! Add some hot sauce – without garlic!
3. Soy sauce, walnut or other light oil, some toasted sesame oil, a little
sugar, rice vinegar and hot stuff – no garlic.
Enhancers
1. Curry added to the mayonnaise- to taste. Bump up the sugar, mustard and
hot stuff a bit.
2. Caraway seeds- for those who must have them.
3. Ground cumin added to the mayonnaise, in small quantities only.
4. Cilantro, leaves only, finely sliced. Some people like parsley…some
don't
5. Golden seedless raisins
6. Finely julienned tart green apples
7. For the truly adventurous, some nuoc mam or other type of fermented fish
oil and bump up the vinegar, hot sauce and sugar a bit. Yes, you do develop
a taste for it! Just keep it off your hands…
et cetera
Let's face it, there are tons of possibilities. The only true prohibition
(to my narrow mind) is against the use of garlic – and that's coming from a
garlic lover.
Let's hear some more recipes.
Herb
On 10/10/07, Bob Morgen wrote:
>
> If Herb's theory were right, then we would have even finer cole slaw here
> in England. Some of our cabbages are the size of pumpkins. And about as
> tough on the outside.
>
> I will keep my opinion of English cole slaw brief.
>
> Garbage.
>
> Here is my recipe for perfect cole slaw, based on the one I used to make
> at the Wild Mountain Café in Mill Valley during my misspent youth:
>
> Mince an onion to near pureé status. Mix it into a cup of mayo and add a
> tsp of caraway seeds. Grate a carrot into it. Add just enough chopped
> cabbage (color irrelevant) to thin out the mayonnaise to a non-guilt level.
> Let it sit a couple of hours in the fridge. Eat.
>
> The English put cole slaw onto ham sandwiches. Nuff said.
>
> -Bob
>
> On 10/10/07, Libby Trudell wrote:
> >
> > That's one impressive lighthouse. Hope you are bearing up under the
> > heat –
> > we are actually having a light autumnal rain here at the moment.
> >
> > —–Original Message—–
> > From: boogkb@tmo.blackberry.net [mailto: boogkb@tmo.blackberry.net]
> > Sent: Tuesday, October 09, 2007 4:01 PM
> > To: Vox; Boogs Sack
> > Subject: BSMA Kills Devil Hills
> >
> > 9 Oct.
> > Another scorching day with a spectacular ride up pea island and bodie
> > island. Thousands of birds. Welcome center had good scopes.
> >
> > Lunch break in the beach town Nags Head.
> >
> > New record temp. Lucky us.
> >
> >
> > Cole Slaw. There must be a thousand variations on three basic sauces.
> > But
> > why is it that the Slaw is always best in the East?
> >
> > Another fine pound of perfect steamed local shrimp. Sigh.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
Boog's Blog 