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Coleslaw

Source of Recipe

From "Beans, Greens and Sweet Georgia Peaches"


Recipe Introduction

"The essential accompaniment for any fish fry or barbecue in the South, and the salad for any covered-dish supper, is coleslaw. We love it as a side dish for fried fish and chicken, and often treat it like a condiment, slathering it thickly over barbecue sandwiches, hot dogs, and even hamburgers. There are more Southern recipes for slaw than there are Southerners, but all of them fall into two basic categories. One is almost like a cabbage pickle, based on a thin, sweet-sour vinegar and oil dressing that is heated to the boiling point and poured hot over shredded cabbage; the other is creamy, dressed with mayonnaise or boiled dressing. This version is of the creamy persuasion."

List of Ingredients

◦  1 medium green cabbage (about 2 pounds)
◦  1 small yellow onion
◦  1 medium carrot
◦  1 recipe Boiled Dressing (recipe follows)
◦  1 tsp celery seeds
◦  1 tsp dry mustard
◦  Salt and black pepper in a peppermill


Recipe

Strip off the tough outer leaves of the cabbage, quarter it, and cut out the core. Discard the core or, if it's not bitter, set it aside and munch on it yourself while you make the slaw -- it's delicious. Shred the cabbage, either by hand with a small paring knife (preferable) or with a food processor.

Put the cabbage in a large mixing or serving bowl. Peel the onion and coarsely grate it into the cabbage or chop it fine and add it. Peel the carrot and shred it through the large holes of the grater or in the food processor. Add it to the cabbage.

In a separate bowl, combine the boiled dressing, celery seeds, dry mustard, a large pinch of salt, and a few liberal grindings of black pepper. Mix well and pour the dressing over the slaw. Stir until the cabbage is uniformly coated. If the salad isn't creamy enough, stir in a little more boiled dressing. Let the salad stand for half an hour to allow the flavors to meld, and serve cold.



Serves 6 to 8


Boiled Dressing:

"Since olive oil was always imported and expensive, Southerners long ago adopted this cream-and-egg based dressing for salads. Though nowadays it's considered a bit old-fashioned and olive oil is no longer so scarce, this dressing remains popular. Aside from coleslaw, it makes a good dressing for chicken or potato salads, especially if you are cooking for someone who for health reasons cannot eat uncooked eggs. The name, of course, is an oxymoron; it doesn't really boil and will curdle if it is ever allowed to do so."

â—¦ 1 Tbsp sugar
â—¦ 1 tsp dry mustard
â—¦ 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
â—¦ Salt
â—¦ ½ cup water
â—¦ ¼ cup vinegar
â—¦ 2 large egg yolks
â—¦ 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
â—¦ ¼ cup heavy cream
â—¦ ½ cup water

Prepare the bottom half of a double boiler with water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Mix the sugar, dry mustard, flour, and a small pinch of salt in the top boiler. In a separate bowl, combine the water, vinegar, and egg yolks, and beat with a whisk until smooth. Slowly whisk this into the dry ingredients.

Put the top boiler over the simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until the dressing is thick, about 5 minutes. Don't stop whisking or take your attention away from it, because it thickens suddenly.

As soon as the dressing is thick, immediately take the top boiler off the heat and beat in the butter and cream. Stir until cool and chill before using.


Makes 1½ cups