Pepper Cole Slaw

Anyone who visits here regularly knows that Aunt Toby is a real fan of all things cabbage. One reason is that cabbage is good for you. Another is, for my money, it’s more texturally interesting than other greens, particularly the lettuces. The third thing is that cabbage, because it has more taste ‘oomph’, can handle stronger tastes in a salad combination and holds its own.

We like cole slaws at any time of the year (and it’s one way to get salad even during the winter when traditionally you can’t get other greens, although hydroponics and high tunnels are putting pay to that, even up here in Upstate New York), but I especially like them in the summer, when other veggies are available to change them up a bit. We very much like red pepper slaw, and here is a version that a) makes a lot so if you need a bunch for a ‘dish to pass’, this is your go-to that is different than pasta salad, and b) has grown up flavors in it, is not sweet so it is memorable and can hold its own with other dishes.

Pepper Cole Slaw:
Ingredients

3 tablespoons sugar
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon celery seeds
1 Tablespoon mustard seeds
1/2 tsp Freshly ground pepper
6 bell peppers of different colors (I’m using green and red here)
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 golfball sized onion or a bunch of scallions, chopped
1 head of green cabbage, roughly chopped (or put through a food processor on the coarsest blade you’ve got)

Dressing:
3 tablespoons brown mustard (anything as long as it isn’t the yellow ball park stuff)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup of cider vinegar
1 Tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of curry powder

How to:You’ll need a really big bowl for this. Mine is 13.5″ in diameter at the top and that worked well. After you are done mixing everything, you can transfer it to something smaller but you will need something wide and deep.

First, either by hand or with a food processor with the coarsest blade, chop up the cabbage and the peppers (remove the seeds and the stems first). Stir the sugar with the vinegar in the bowl until dissolved. Add the celery seeds, mustard seeds, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the bell peppers, celery, onions and cabbage, and toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Second: Then make the dressing: In a smaller bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, curry powder, sugar and cider vinegar. Add the dressing to the slaw and toss to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Rating: Very yummy.