Cabbage – might it be the next “hot” vegetable? Of course, I’m not talking hot as in, you know, heat; rather – I’m wondering what vegetable is about to appear on every effin restaurant menu in the world? The next kale…oh, excuse me, Tuscan kale. The next brussels sprout. That vegetable. People are guessing rutabaga, but that just makes me laugh (so do turnips). And what’s that other one…kohlrabi? These days you can’t walk through Chinatown without seeing someone selling kohlrabi out of the back of their car or from a carton on the street – which is funny since its other name is German turnip.
This past Sunday, like everyone else in the world, Mark Bittman wrote about cabbage in the NY Times’ Magazine section. You know, one of those articles he writes about a dozen different ways to eat this, a million ways to cook that, yada, yada, yada. And one of the ways he suggests to eat cabbage is raw. Now, I’m telling you folks – and with all due respect to Bitty – raw cabbage really sucks. There is nothing good about it. At all. Rabbits run from it. But there’s a little trick I learned about 20 years ago, from a very good source, and that’s to cook your slaw cabbage – with salt. Or in other words, pickle that cabbage. 
All the watery stuff that you usually see in the bottom of a container of coleslaw has been drawn out…you know, the stuff that’s called water. The cabbage is still plenty crisp; it’s just not raw and it’s so much better. Also, and this is key, the cabbage now will absorb a lot of whatever dressing you decide to use. Don’t ask me how – that’s a whole science project, and I get enough agita just trying to read through Modernist Cuisine.
I like a dressing that’s sort of sweet, sort of tart and a little creamy. So in this case, I used a mayo based dressing with celery seed thrown in for good measure. Oh, and a good handful or two of chopped parsley, since it makes it look that much more professional…
By the way, there are plenty of other delicious things to make with cabbage – steam it, boil it, roast it (why not?), braise it, saute it…whatever. Just don’t eat it raw – even if the NY Times say to.
PrintColeslaw
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
This coleslaw features lightly pickled cabbage, making it crisp yet not raw, dressed in a creamy, sweet, and tart mayo-based dressing with a hint of celery seed.
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. cabbage, shredded (red and green are nice together)
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup vinegar (rice wine, white wine, etc.)
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- Handful of chopped parsley
Instructions
- Toss the shredded cabbage and carrot with the kosher salt in a large colander. Work the salt into the vegetables thoroughly.
- Cover the colander with a plate and place a heavy can on top to press the liquid out of the cabbage. Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, rinse the cabbage and carrot under cold water to remove excess salt, then drain well and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, and celery seed until well combined.
- Add the drained cabbage and carrot to the dressing and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Stir in the chopped parsley for added freshness and color.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
For best results, use a mix of red and green cabbage for color and flavor. The salting process helps draw out excess moisture, making the cabbage crisp and ready to absorb the dressing. This coleslaw is perfect for picnics and barbecues. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 12
- Carbohydrates: 10
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 10
I am ordering corn beef from Katz Deli this week. I live in Lawton Oklahoma and they don’t know what a good corn beef sandwich is. So now I want a real deli-style coleslaw recipe that goes inside the sandwich and of course Russian dressing. Rye bread and swiss cheese I can get here.
You should have tried living there during the 1950s. My parents lived there then. They ordered ‘egg drop soup’ in a Chinese restaurant, it was soup that the restaurant dropped a boiled egg into it. They did not know what Jews were back then, much less Jewish deli. At least they know what a Jew is by now, I think.
Absolutely delicious. Best recipe yet
This is exactly the way my mother made slaw too. I live in Honduras, and people inmy bar always comment on this slaw!!! I also think the Miracle whip is irreplaceable..
John