It’s the Slaw of the Land

Say “picnic” or “cookout” and for many people coleslaw comes to mind right after the hamburgers and before the ants. But that--and the fact that it contains some form of cabbage--is about all anyone can agree on.

Poolside at the Bel-Air Hotel, pampered guests find their crab cakes come atop a combination of shredded celeriac, red and yellow bell pepper and red cabbage dressed with a spicy chile-paste vinaigrette. Executive chef Gary Clauson calls it coleslaw.

At Leonard’s, a Memphis barbecue restaurant, the coleslaw is made with finely ground green cabbage tossed with a mustard-based sauce. It’s a key ingredient in Leonard’s “pig sandwich” of pulled pork covered with barbecue sauce.

Variations abound. For some, slaw always has carrots, onions, celery or pickles. Others say a coleslaw is naked without poppy or caraway seeds. Some like it creamy with just enough mayonnaise. Some like it hot. Then there are the vinegar people who prefer tangy.

“There are purists. But I’ve updated our coleslaw with shredded red cabbage, honey cider vinegar, grilled pineapple and chipotle peppers for those who like a few adjustments,” says Laura Schwartz, chef and co-owner of Silver Spring, Md.-based Rock Creek Catering. Schwartz admits that “more often than not our customers want it traditional, a little carrot, a creamy dressing, not swimming and basic shredded cabbage.”

But creamy or tangy is not the central issue with those who enjoy coleslaw. And any variety of cabbage will do. The real point of contention is how the cabbage is cut.

In the north, coarsely shredded coleslaw is favored. At Junior’s, a family restaurant in Brooklyn that opened in 1950, patrons are served a bowl of coarsely shredded coleslaw tossed with a vinaigrette soon after they are seated. “We think the coarse texture is better. It stays crisp and crunchy,” says co-owner Kevin Rosen. On Junior’s menu there is also a coarsely shredded, creamy-style salad with a hint of garlic for those who just have to have it their way.

But coarse cabbage wouldn’t cut it in Alabama. “They would throw me in the Cahaba River if I served it that way,” says Jodie Stanfield, manager of John’s, a luncheonette in downtown Birmingham. At John’s, regular customers expect a bowl of plain cabbage, sliced as thinly as possible in long strips, to be placed on the table soon after they are seated. A sweet, barbecue sauce-based dressing is offered on the side. “When it’s thinly sliced, you get the full true flavor of the cabbage,” Stanfield says.

Most supermarkets offer more than one type of coleslaw to appeal to customers from different regions of the country. Some, in fact, go beyond the border. Fresh Fields stores offer a “Mexican” coleslaw composed of jicama, red bell pepper and cilantro tossed with a lime juice vinaigrette. Of course it also contains cabbage, finely shredded green and red.

But then, coleslaw always contains cabbage. We agree on that, right?

Coleslaw

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes plus 20 minutes chilling

Julia Child’s “favorite formula” for coleslaw is made with lots of fresh vegetables. Says Child: “If there are dieters at the table (including me!) the salad is delicious just with its preliminary flavorings, and you can pass the dressing on the side.” We agree. This is great slaw. But we prefer to add the dressing, as well as serve additional dressing on the side for those who like it extra creamy. From Julia Child’s “The Way to Cook” (Knopf, 1989).

DRESSING

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard

2 tablespoons wine or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

* In small bowl, combine mustard, vinegar, salt and sugar. Set aside.

SLAW

1 1/2-pounds cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)

2/3 cup diced celery

1/2 cup grated carrot

1/4 cup diced green onions or mild yellow onions

1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper

1 small apple, peeled, cored and finely diced

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded and diced

3 to 4 tablespoons chopped parsley

1/4 teaspoon caraway or cumin seeds

1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

Freshly ground pepper

1/3 cup sour cream

1/2 cup mayonnaise

* In large mixing bowl, toss cabbage, celery, carrot, green onions, bell pepper, apple, cucumber and parsley. Add mustard mixture to vegetables, tossing well to combine. Add caraway or cumin seeds, bay leaf, celery seeds and pepper to taste. Toss several times, adding a little more salt or vinegar to taste. Set aside for 20 to 30 minutes, then toss again and drain. (May be prepared up to this point, covered and refrigerated.)

* Combine sour cream and mayonnaise in bowl.

* Remove cabbage mixture from refrigerator, drain again and taste to correct seasonings. Toss with sour cream-mayonnaise mixture and serve.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 89 calories; 210 mg sodium; 4 mg cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 2 grams fiber.

Creamy Coleslaw

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 15 minutes chilling

The Rosen family, owners of Junior’s restaurant in Brooklyn, serve customers coleslaw their way. Make the mayonnaise dressing first so it’s ready to toss on the slaw vegetables as soon as they are shredded. Cut the carrots, then the cabbage, and quickly toss them with the dressing to keep the cabbage from turning brown. From “Welcome to Junior’s!” by Marvin and Walter Rosen with Beth Allen (William Morrow, 1999).

DRESSING

2 cups mayonnaise

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon salt

* In small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, garlic, pepper and salt. Set aside.

SLAW

5 large carrots (1 1/2 pounds), shredded

1 head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), shredded (about 12 cups)

* In large bowl, toss carrots and cabbage. Immediately pour dressing over cabbage mix and toss until vegetables are well coated. Cover bowl and refrigerate until vegetables wilt just a little, about 15 minutes. (Flavors will blend even better if you let slaw marinate in refrigerator for about 1 hour.)

* Toss again before serving to redistribute any dressing that has settled in bottom of bowl.

16 servings. Each serving: 176 calories; 245 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 2 grams fiber.

Houston’s Coleslaw

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 15 minutes plus 30 minutes chilling

The folks at Houston’s, an American-style restaurant with branches around Los Angeles, do not give out a lot of recipes. In fact, this is the first time they have offered their recipe for coleslaw--a cabbage salad that contains mayonnaise but is not overly creamy. They use a homemade dill-pickle relish that was inspired by an old family recipe.

DRESSING

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons buttermilk

1 tablespoon prepared horseradish

1/3 cup dill-pickle relish

1 tablespoon brown mustard, such as Gulden’s Spicy

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

* In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, buttermilk, horseradish, pickle relish, mustard, cider vinegar, sugar and pepper. Cover and chill.

SLAW

1 1/2 cups chopped cabbage

1/4 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped green onions (white and tender green parts)

* In large bowl, toss cabbage, parsley and green onions. Add 3/4 cup Dressing and mix until thoroughly combined; refrigerate remaining dressing for another use. Chill coleslaw at least 30 minutes before serving.

4 servings. Each serving: 272 calories; 287 mg sodium; 12 mg cholesterol; 4 grams fat; 7 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram protein; 1 gram fiber.

Bistro Kaz’s Asian Free-Style Coleslaw

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes plus 30 minutes chilling

Chef Kazuhiro Okochi, better known to lovers of sushi simply as Kaz, helped make Sushi-Ko one of the most popular Japanese restaurants in the Washington, D.C., area. Recently, he opened his own restaurant for contemporary Japanese food, called Kaz Sushi Bistro. Chef Kaz is thinking of serving this light, Asian-inspired slaw on his summer menu with ginger-cured duck confit.

DRESSING

6 ounces tofu (medium to firm)

7 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted until lightly colored

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup dark sesame oil

* Puree tofu, sesame seeds, sugar, vinegar and oil in blender until smooth.

SLAW

1/4 head red cabbage, thinly sliced

1 stalk celery, thinly sliced

1 carrot, cut into thin strips

1/2 Asian pear, apple or mango, cut into thin strips

1 tablespoon chopped raisins

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

* In large bowl, toss cabbage, celery, carrot, pear, raisins and pine nuts. Add dressing and mix well; season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill coleslaw 30 minutes and serve.

10 servings. Each serving: 107 calories; 59 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 2 grams fiber.