Slaws expand definition of salad
As we make our way toward the end of winter, what is seasonally available influences what we want to eat and what we cook. In the main course department, we tend to turn to dishes like slow roasts, braises, stews. But in many households, dinner isn’t complete without a salad. And unlike in summer, when fluffy lettuces, juicy tomatoes and fresh herbs abound, the pickings feel slimmer.
This is when our definition of salad could use some expansion and creativity.
Enter: slaws. Or coleslaws — what’s the difference? Really nothing. Technically, coleslaw involves cabbage, whether green, red or napa, while the category of slaws can include all kinds of chopped or shredded crunchy vegetables. The two words are used interchangeably for the most part, however.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary says “coleslaw” comes from the Dutch “koolsla,” which combines “kool” (cabbage) and “sla” (salad). At its simplest, classic American coleslaw is a mixture of chopped or grated cabbage with mayonnaise, vinegar and maybe a bit of sugar, plus salt and pepper.
Many think of slaws primarily in the summer, when we are grilling outdoors or hosting a barbecue for friends. And that’s a shame, because since slaws are made from cabbage and other hardy vegetables, especially root vegetables, they are perfect for the cold-weather cooking months.
Slaws don’t get soggy as quickly as leaf lettuce salads, so they can stay in the fridge for a day or two, sometimes longer. They make use of seasonal produce, and offer a nice change of pace from cooked vegetables on the plate.
They can be colorful and highly nutritious, and recipes are usually quite flexible. Once you get the basic shredding or chopping technique down and find a simple slaw dressing that you like, you can keep changing things up until baby lettuces and asparagus appear in the markets again.
So, other than cabbage, what vegetables can be used to make slaws? Carrots, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kohlrabi, beets, zucchini, summer squash, cucumber, bell peppers and winter squashes are some candidates. Even the harder vegetables can be used raw: The key is to shred them finely and peel off any tough skin. Remove any seeds from vegetables like squashes, cucumber or peppers.
To shred cabbage for slaw, you
have a few choices. To do it by hand, first remove any dinged-up outer leaves and then quarter the cabbage. Cut the core out of each quarter. Place each chunk of cabbage on a cutting board and, using a large, sharp knife, thinly slice the cabbage crosswise to create thin shreds.
You can also use a mandoline, or the slicing or shredding attachment of a food processor. I like the slicing blade better than the grating blade for cabbage, as the grating blade creates tiny bits that don’t have as much appealing texture. But you can definitely use a handheld box grater or the shredding blade for hardier vegetables, like beets or carrots.
Other popular add-ins for slaws include raisins or other dried fruits, nuts, apples, grapes, celery, bacon, onions or scallions, sugar snap peas, corn and fresh herbs.
BASIC CREAMY SLAW DRESSING
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream (or additional mayonnaise) 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ cup minced scallions or green onions, or red onion Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste Blend all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. Add about 6 cups of shredded cabbage or other vegetables. You can also add a couple of tablespoons of minced, seeded jalapeno peppers or a squirt of hot sauce if you want to amp up the heat level.