Servings: 6-8
Source: Fine Cooking September 2006
I’m a sucker for slaw-I think it’s the crunch that really gets me. Unfortunately, if slaw isn’t made correctly, you get what we’ve all had at one picnic or another – slaw that’s heavy, soggy, and overly sweet. I’ve found that the secret to a great slaw is to make it feel lighter and more like a fresh salad, which is easy to do by just learning a few simple tricks.
Balance flavors and textures. To provide crunch, I like to add vegetables like carrots, celery root, and jicama to the cabbage, and then toss them together with a fresh, bright dressing. While some dressings for slaw can be overly sweet and heavy, I make mine with fresh citrus juice, which gives the slaw a much lighter feel.
Toss with salt, then weight dense vegetables to purge them of excess water. This step makes the vegetables tender and briny and ensures that the slaw doesn’t become too wet once dressed. Coarser cabbages like green and red cabbage benefit from longer purging, whereas a more tender cabbage like Napa breaks down extremely fast, so a short salting is all it requires. Onions also benefit from salting, which mellows any harsh flavors and brings out their sweeter side.
Once it’s assembled, serve the slaw as soon as possible. Even when purged, the vegetables will continue to release water after they’re mixed with a dressing, so they’re best served within an hour or two of assembly. The exception is slaw containing Napa cabbage, which should be served immediately. You can refrigerate leftover slaw for up to two days; it will taste as delicious as ever but will lose some of its crisp texture and will exude more liquid.
Ingredients
This slaw also makes a tasty topping for fish or chicken soft tacos.
1 small or ½ medium red or green cabbage (or use a mix of both, about 1½ pounds), bruised outer leaves removed, cored, and cut into six wedges Kosher salt
1 medium jicama (about I pound), peeled and quartered
4 scallions (white and green parts), thinly sliced on the diagonal (about ½ cup)
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
¼ cup fresh lime juice; more to taste
1 jalapeño, seeded (if you like) and minced
Directions
Thinly slice the cabbage in a food processor using the 4mm slicing disk or by hand; you should have about 6 packed cups. Put the cabbage in a colander and toss it with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Lay a plate that fits inside the colander on top of the cabbage and set a heavy can or jar on top of the plate. Drain the cabbage in the sink or over a bowl for 2 hours.
If using a food processor, switch to the grating disk and grate the jicama or cut it into very thin (julienne) strips by hand; you should have about 2 cups. Put the jicama in a large bowl and toss in the scallions and cilantro.
In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, lime juice, and jalapeño.
Turn the cabbage out onto a clean dishtowel or paper towels and pat it thoroughly dry. Toss the cabbage with the jicama and the lime mayonnaise. Season to taste with more kosher salt and lime juice if needed.