I don’t know what my body is trying to tell me, but lately I’ve developed a strong appetite for Brassicaceae — cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, kale and cabbages of all kinds.
I’ve made so many batches of Cauliflower à la Mary Celeste that my oven has lost count. I’ve stir-fried broccoli with sweet potatoes, sliced raw kohlrabi for seaweed tartare and cubed it for lentil salad; I’ve roasted Savoy cabbage and planted kale on my small balcony, already imagining dozens of ways to use it. I’ve roasted green cabbage with late-summer fennel bulbs and early-fall potimarron, and I’ve been making lots and lots of cabbage slaws.
Sliced cabbage salads are the easiest way to turn a head of green cabbage into something fresh and satisfying to accompany cold roast chicken or hard-boiled eggs.
Sliced cabbage salads are the most effortless way to transform a head of green cabbage into something fresh and satisfying to go with your cold roast chicken.
You do need to plan a bit ahead: the perfect coleslaw benefits from letting the cabbage sit with salt for about an hour. This step relaxes the cabbage, making it crunchy without being aggressively so, and helps season it through.
Coleslaws welcome many variations, but my current favorite is flavored with fresh ginger and dill. The combination began as a spontaneous fridge-inspired experiment and has become a repeat pleasure — zesty, aromatic and bright.
I sometimes make vegan slaws using a simple tahini dressing, but this version uses mayonnaise — not the heavy, bucketful style some recipes call for, just enough to bind and balance the flavors. I don’t usually make my own mayo for this; a good store-bought jar works fine, and plain yogurt is an easy substitute if you prefer.
Although a mandolin will produce very fine strands, I prefer the texture of a coarser cut, sliced by hand with a sharp knife.
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Are you obsessed with cruciferous vegetables too? What have you been making? What goes into your ideal cabbage slaw?
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Prep Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 450 grams (1 pound) green cabbage, sliced
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (or plain yogurt or vegan sesame mayonnaise)
- 1 teaspoon strong mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- a 2-cm (3/4-inch) piece of fresh ginger, finely grated
- a small bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Start at least 1 hour ahead. Place the cabbage in a colander and stir in the salt. Let it rest 30 minutes if sliced very thinly, or up to 1 hour if sliced more coarsely, so the leaves soften.
- Rinse the cabbage thoroughly under fresh water to remove excess salt, taste a piece to check, and drain well. Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and pat gently to remove more moisture.
- In a medium bowl, combine the cabbage, mayonnaise, mustard, honey, grated ginger and chopped dill. Taste and adjust the dressing with a bit more mustard or honey if needed. Season with freshly ground black pepper and serve.
https://cnz.to/recipes/salads/ginger-and-dill-coleslaw-recipe/