Episode 5: Slay the Old Slaw!
(Red Coleslaw)

Click here to watch it on YouTube

Ingredients

• Whole red cabbage
• 2 red apples such as Fiji or Gala
• Kosher salt
• White wine vinegar
• 1 lemon
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Whole anise seeds

Preparation

1. Remove the outer leaves of the cabbage. Cut the head in half (vertically, through the core) and remove most of the core in the halves with two diagonal incisions.
2. Shred as much of the cabbage as you will need with a mandoline, or cut it into very thin strips with a sharp long knife.
3. Wash the apples, but do not peel them. Cut off large segments, working around the core, and cut them into slices or strips. Do not make the mistake of cutting them too finely, or they will get mushy and disintegrate in the slaw.
4. Put the shredded cabbage and apple strips in a large bowl. Season generously with salt, freshly squeezed lemon juice, vinegar, plentiful anise seeds (lightly pinch them with your fingers as you add them to release their flavor) and just a touch of olive oil.
5. Toss everything and store in the refrigerator until serving time. The slaw benefits from an hour of rest, but it will be good to eat for 24 hours.
6. Serve with sautéed chicken breasts (see Episode 1) or a whole rotisserie chicken from a fine food store, and store-bought potato chips (thick-cut or ridged).

Notes

• A few leaves of Arugula added to the slaw just before serving it makes it even healthier.
• Hold back on the olive oil when mixing the slaw. It is only there to round off the flavors, not to make the slaw slick and oily. As a matter of fact, you could omit it altogether.
• Wrap the unused part of the cabbage in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Use within 5 days, but don’t make another slaw with it: come up with another idea (stir-fried, braised...)
• The combination given above works well because it combines sweetness (from the apples), tartness (from the lemon juice), acidity (from the vinegar), crunchiness (from the cabbage) and an outstanding, fragrant flavor (from the anise seeds). Take it as a cue to create your own coleslaw. Experiment with different kinds of cabbage (white, Napa or Savoy), fruit (like pears, grapes or raisins), vinegars or spices. Examples: white cabbage with crunchy pan-fried bacon bits (hot from the pan just before serving!), low-fat buttermilk and coarsely crushed black pepper; or Savoy cabbage with sweet rice vinegar, scallions, apples and strips of fresh ginger.
• There is a time and place for the use of mayonnaise. The FOODCOMMANDER will teach you how to make it in an upcoming episode.
• Language Lesson:“Coleslaw” is Dutch for cabbage salad.

For any questions regarding this or other recipes, contact the FOODCOMMANDER at info@foodcommander.com