Recipes for Shabbat

Cole Slaw

There is no great mystery to origins of Cole slaw. It comes from the Dutch phrase koolsla which literally means "cool cabbage," Traditional Cole slaw is a salad of shredded red or white cabbage mixed with a mayonnaise, vinaigrette or some other type of dressing and obviously, served cold.

Adding other ingredients such as chopped onion, celery, sweet pepper, pickles, or herbs and spices has become a matter of personal and ethnic inclination. The cabbage, a simple vegetable, is a member of the Brussels sprout family whose brothers and sisters are broccoli, cauliflower and kale. So it stands to reason that if you want to substitute any of them (although why anyone would want to use Brussels sprouts in a salad is beyond me) it should be just fine.

The most popular and most widely used variety of cabbage has a compact heads of waxy, tightly wrapped leaves that range in color from almost white to green to red. Picking a good cabbage isn't too difficult. Your cabbage should have fresh, crisp-looking leaves that are firmly packed; the head should be heavy for its size. Cabbage may be refrigerated, tightly wrapped, for about a week.

The following recipes are all delicious variations on a theme, simple to prepare, will store nicely in the fridge for 3 or 4 days, require minimal prep time and every single recipe can converted to be dairy or pareve depending the rest of your menu.

CABBAGE TIPS:
One pound cabbage equals 4 cups shredded or 2 cups cooked cabbage.

A fast and easy way to remove leaves from cabbage is to cut around the core at the base of the cabbage. Remove the core and grasp each individual cabbage leaf at its base, rather than at the leaf's outer edge. Gently lift the cabbage leaf from the cabbage.

To shred the cabbage by hand, quarter and then core the cabbage.

Separate the cabbage quarters into stacks so leaves will flatten when pressed lightly. Use a large knife to cut each stack of cabbage diagonally into thin shreds.

To chop the cabbage, turn the pile of shredded cabbage widthwise, and then cut the cabbage shreds into a fine dice.

For a crisper cabbage for Cole slaws, shred the cabbage and soak it in salted ice water for 15 minutes and then drain.

NOTE: You can also get Savoy and Chinese cabbage in most produce sections these days. Both these cabbage varieties are slightly milder in flavor than the traditional round cabbages we usually buy.

HEALTHY SLAW (pareve)

In a small sauce pan combine the sugar and vinegar. Gently heat the mixture until the sugar melts. Stir occasionally and then remove from heat and allow to cool. Shred the cabbage and carrots and combine them in a bowl. Pour the cooled sugar mixture over the cabbage and carrot mixture. Mix gently and then add the chopped peppers. Toss to coat and then add the salt, and celery seeds into the mixture. Toss gently and then cover and let set for at least 1 hour. Sometimes I make this salad the night before I want to serve it so that the flavors have time to really combine. Just before serving sprinkle the sunflower seeds and parsley over the top of the salad and toss to combine.
Serves 6 to 8.

GRANDMA'S OLD FASHIONED COLE SLAW (pareve)
This is the kind of cabbage salad my grandmother used to make

In a large bowl combine the cabbage, onion and apple and set it aside. In another bowl combine the mayonnaise, half and half (or what ever other cream ingredient you choose), salt, pepper, caraway seeds, vinegar, sugar and mustard and whisk them together. (Taste the dressing at this point to make sure the sweet/sour/salt balance. You can always add a little more of any of the ingredients to adjust it to you personal preference). Pour the dressing over the slaw mixture, toss gently, cover and let refrigerate several hours.
Serves 4 to 6

KFC's Cole Slaw Recipe (dairy)
Thanks to Todd Wilbers Top Secret Recipes

Cut cabbage and carrots into small pieces about the size of rice kernels. (The food processor is great for this!) In salad bowl, combine the sugar, salt, pepper, milk, mayonnaise, buttermilk, and vinegar and lemon juice.

Beat until smooth. Add the cabbage and carrots. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 6 to 8.

CHINESE CHICKEN COLE SLAW (meat, or pareve)
You can substitute grilled salmon or tuna for the chicken in this recipe

Dressing
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons vinegar
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Mix dressing ingredients in a small jar and store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Layer cabbage, celery, green onions and chicken; set aside. Add toasted sesame seeds and toasted almonds and top ramen noodles just before adding dressing. Toss and serve immediately for best flavor and "crunch" (although Leftovers are a welcome lunch in my opinion).

PINEAPPLE CARROT SLAW (pareve)

In large bowl, toss together carrots, cabbage, pineapple and walnuts and set the mixture aside. In small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, pepper and reserved pineapple juice. Whisk to combine and then pour the dressing over the mixed vegetables. Toss gently to coat and then cover and refrigerate the salad for 2-24 hours. Serves 6 to 8

ORANGE CARROT SLAW (pareve)

In a large bowl, add orange juice, vinegar, mustard, oil, salt, mint, and red  pepper; whisk until blended. Add the Cole slaw and carrot mixes and toss the salad to coat it with the dressing. Cover the salad and refrigerate it for at  least 2 hours before serving so that the flavors can combine. Serves 6 to 8.

BROCCOLI SLAW (pareve)

In a bowl combine the olives, slaw mix (or fresh broccoli), carrots, bell peppers and toss. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, rice vinegar and celery seed and whisk the dressing ingredients together. Pour the dressing over the broccoli mixture and toss well to coat. Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Serves 6 to 8

CILANTRO SLAW (pareve)
If you love cilantro this unusual slaw recipe will become an instant favorite

Combine all the ingredient in a bowl and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate
for at least 2 hours before serving. Serves 6 to 8

FRUIT AND NUT SLAW (dairy or pareve)
OK, this is not for the traditionally slaw lovers but it's a fantastic summer
salad

Drain the pineapple, reserving 2 tablespoons of the syrup. Combine the reserved syrup with the lemon juice and then toss the banana slices with 1 tablespoon of the juice mixture; setting aside the remaining juice. In a large bowl combine the pineapple, banana, cabbage, celery, oranges, nuts and raisins. In another bowl combine the reserved juice mixture with the yogurt (or topping mixture and orange juice concentrate) and salt to taste. Add the dressing to cabbage and fruit mixture; toss gently to coat and then cover and chill the mixture for at least 1 hour. Serves 8 to 10

© Eileen Goltz coleslaw 02

Eileen Goltz, a professional chef and caterer, is the author of the new cookbook, Perfectly Pareve.