Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (27 page)
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Cabbage salads are a nice change of pace from the same old slaw. But cabbage tends to become watery and bland once dressed and allowed to sit, because the cabbage itself exudes water. We solved this problem by salting the cabbage to draw out the liquid. A lively vinaigrette and fresh, crisp supporting players like fruits and vegetables rounded out the salad’s flavor and texture.
See “TWO WAYS TO SHRED CABBAGE” illustrations that follow recipe.
SERVES 6 TO 8
This salad pairs especially well with chicken or pork.
¹⁄ | head green cabbage (1 pound), cored and shredded (6 cups) |
Salt and pepper | |
¹⁄ | small red onion, chopped fine |
1 | tablespoon honey |
2 | tablespoons rice vinegar |
2 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil |
1 | teaspoon Dijon mustard |
2 | teaspoons minced fresh tarragon |
1 | large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | fennel bulb, stalks discarded, halved, cored, and sliced thin |
1.
Toss shredded cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt in colander or large-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse cabbage under cold running water (or in large bowl of ice water if serving immediately). Press, but do not squeeze, to drain; pat dry with paper towels. (Cabbage can be stored in zipper-lock bag and refrigerated overnight.)
2.
Stir together onion, honey, vinegar, oil, mustard, and tarragon in medium bowl. Immediately toss cabbage, apple, and fennel in dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
SERVES 6 TO 8
Serve this Southwestern-flavored slaw with grilled meat, poultry, or fish.
¹⁄ | head green cabbage (1 pound), cored and shredded fine (6 cups) |
Salt | |
1 | teaspoon grated lime zest plus 2 tablespoons juice |
2 | tablespoons olive oil |
1 | tablespoon rice vinegar or sherry vinegar |
1 | tablespoon honey |
1 | teaspoon ground cumin |
Pinch cayenne pepper | |
1 | red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips |
1.
Toss shredded cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt in colander or large-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse cabbage under cold running water (or in large bowl of ice water if serving immediately). Press, but do not squeeze, to drain; pat dry with paper towels. (Cabbage can be stored in zipper-lock bag and refrigerated overnight.)
2.
Stir together lime juice and zest, oil, vinegar, honey, cumin, and cayenne in medium bowl. Toss cabbage and red pepper in dressing. Season with salt to taste; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
SERVES 6 TO 8
Grate the carrot on the large holes of a box grater or with the cabbage on the shredding disk of a food processor.
¹⁄ | head green cabbage (1 pound), cored and shredded (6 cups) |
1 | large carrot, peeled and grated |
Salt | |
2 | tablespoons smooth peanut butter |
2 | tablespoons peanut oil |
2 | tablespoons rice vinegar |
1 | tablespoon soy sauce |
1 | teaspoon honey |
2 | garlic cloves, chopped coarse |
1 | (1¹⁄ |
¹⁄ | jalapeño chile, stemmed, halved, and seeded |
4 | radishes, halved lengthwise and sliced thin |
4 | scallions, sliced thin |
1.
Toss shredded cabbage, carrot, and 1 teaspoon salt in colander or large-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse cabbage and carrot under cold running water (or in large bowl of ice water if serving immediately). Press, but do not squeeze, to drain; pat dry with paper towels. (Vegetables can be stored in zipper-lock bag and refrigerated overnight.)
2.
Puree peanut butter, oil, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and jalapeño in food processor until smooth paste is formed, about 30 seconds. Toss cabbage and carrot, radishes, scallions, and dressing together in medium bowl. Season with salt to taste; cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. (Salad can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.)
1.
After quartering and coring cabbage, separate cabbage quarters into stacks of leaves that flatten when pressed lightly.
BY HAND
2A.
Use chef’s knife to cut each stack of cabbage diagonally into thin shreds. To chop cabbage, turn pile of shredded cabbage crosswise, then cut shreds into fine dice.
IN A FOOD PROCESSOR
2B.
Roll leaves crosswise and place them in feed tube. Using slicing disk and pressing lightly on pusher, shred cabbage. Repeat with other stacks.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
We wanted a recipe for buttermilk coleslaw that would produce a salad with crisp, evenly cut pieces of cabbage lightly coated with a flavorful buttermilk dressing that would cling to the cabbage instead of collecting in the bottom of the bowl. We found that salting and draining the cabbage removed excess water and wilted it to a pickle-crisp texture. For a dressing that was both hefty and tangy, we combined buttermilk, mayonnaise, and sour cream.
SERVES 4
If you are planning to serve the coleslaw immediately, rinse the salted cabbage in a large bowl of ice water, drain it in a colander, pick out any ice cubes, then pat the cabbage dry before dressing. For information on shredding cabbage,
CLICK HERE
.
¹⁄ | head red or green cabbage (1 pound), cored and shredded (6 cups) |
Salt | |
1 | carrot, peeled and shredded |
¹⁄ | cup buttermilk |
2 | tablespoons mayonnaise |
2 | tablespoons sour cream |
1 | small shallot, minced |
2 | tablespoons minced fresh parsley |
¹⁄ | teaspoon cider vinegar |
¹⁄ | teaspoon sugar |
¹⁄ | teaspoon Dijon mustard |
¹⁄ | teaspoon pepper |
1.
Toss shredded cabbage and 1 teaspoon salt in colander or large-mesh strainer set over medium bowl. Let stand until cabbage wilts, at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Rinse cabbage under cold running water. Press, but do not squeeze, to drain; pat dry with paper towels. Place wilted cabbage and carrot in large bowl.
2.
Stir buttermilk, mayonnaise, sour cream, shallot, parsley, vinegar, sugar, mustard, ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt, and pepper together in small bowl. Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to combine; refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes. (Coleslaw can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
Omit mustard, substitute 1 tablespoon minced cilantro for parsley and 1 teaspoon lime juice for cider vinegar, and add 2 thinly sliced scallions to dressing.
Substitute 1 teaspoon lemon juice for vinegar and add 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme and 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives to dressing.
