Slaw

Slaw is short for salad. Short in that slurred, mangled-over-time way, like Seattle is short Si'ahl. It’s also easily adaptable and quite an adept culinary globe trotter as it seems to pop up on menus in many different forms: with dill and citrus next to crab cakes, aside Italian dishes with fennel and capers, Thai-style with ginger and peanuts—to name a few. 

Coleslaw, as it’s more formally referred to, is a fresh salad of shredded cabbage, and I ate it twice this weekend.

The first time, I made it for friends to go along side jerk chicken and grilled corn. The yellow-tan meal, albeit incredibly flavorful and rewarding, demanded a bright and colorful side. Purple cabbage with cilantro, chives and radishes not only brought the other ¾ of the color wheel to the plate, but also served as a fresh balance to the earthy chicken and sweet corn.

My second slaw of the weekend was a traditional, creamy, green slaw that my brother and sister-in-law made to go along side pulled pork sandwiches for Mother’s Day dinner. Different for sure, but equally as tasty and balancing.

Slaw is really easy: chop and toss, and let it sit. I think this weekend may have been a kick-off to a little slaw phase. I’m ready for more. Bring on the brassica.

Rainbow Slaw

1 head purple cabbage, sliced thin
10-15 radishes, julienned
¼ c chopped chives
¼ cup chopped cilantro
3 T apple cider vinegard
1 T grainy mustard
1 t sugar
¼ cup olive oil
Salt and pepper

Chop and toss, and let it sit.