Sunday, November 12, 2017

#MillennialPink slaw

If we've been at the same potluck in the sometime over the last several years, you've probably had The Slaw. It's so basic but so, so good: tangy, crisp, a bit sweet, very lightly spicy. It's good as a side, but my favorite is piling it on pulled pork (or other meat) sandwiches. Incidentally it's very healthy - almost no carbs and very low calorie, incidentally gluten, dairy, egg, soy, and nut free. Plus it can sit safely on the potluck table for hours, unlike mayo-based sides.

It's based on this Smitten Kitchen recipe for sandwich slaw. There are many variations, but this is my favorite. It's just so pretty! 

You can spiralize/matchstick cut the veggies in whatever way you prefer. I have a mandolin that makes very short work of it, and I buy the carrots, beets, and sometimes cabbage already cut up.  You can use any crunchy veggie for this that you like. The red cabbage stains everything pink, so I use white if I'm making a rainbow version.
Pre-brine. The cabbage turns electric pink all the way through after a few hours.



THE SLAW


2 cups white vinegar
1/2c kosher salt (less if it's table salt - the tiny grains fit more salt in the cup.)
1/4c white sugar
2tbsp mustard seeds
1 bay leaf
4 cloves of garlic, gently smushed with the bottom of a glass or two side of a knife, so they're still mostly in one piece
Pinch of dried Thai chilis, or some slices of a jalepeƱo pepper
2 cups cold water

A bunch of veggies, to fill whatever container you want to put them in, all finely julienned or spiralized to roughly the same size:
- raw beets (cut your own or I've found "noodles" in the produce section)
-part of a head of red cabbage
-1 red onion
-1 or 2 red peppers
-a bunch of radishes
-peeled, seeded cucumber
-one of the small bags of matchstick carrots


On the stove, mix all brine ingredients except for the hot pepper & water. Bring to a simmer, stirring, until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Cool while you get the vegetables ready.

Layer the veggies in a container with a lid. Put the onions on or near the bottom.

Add water to the brine - if the mixture is cool, proceed, if not, put it in the fridge until it's at least room temperature. Pour it over the veggies and push down on them to submerge. Put in fridge for at least two hours before serving, preferably overnight - this is remarkably better after a day. Store in refrigerator.

Creamy variation: stir a few tablespoons of sour cream and/or mayonaise into well-drained slaw. It, to, will be gloriously PANK. 


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