A Dutch Treat: Koolsalade or . . . Coleslaw

We’ve had a number of cabbage recipes on the blog, but none for good old coleslaw. Then I had some delicious cole slaw made by Enright CSA member Leah Berger last week, and so asked for the recipe. That got me thinking about the name, “coleslaw,” so I had to do a little research on that. Turns out that it was originally a Dutch treat, and kool is the Dutch word for cabbage. Now it has a distinctly American reputation; it’s a staple at fast food chicken places (which have been in the news perhaps too much this past week) and a Southern specialty as well. And if you make a kind of coleslaw and then pickle it, it’s called “chow-chow,” which in fact derives its name from the French word for cabbage, chou.

So, that’s it for the etymology lesson for today. Let’s turn this blog over to Leah and her recipe for cole slaw, along with what she plans to do differently when she makes it again . . .

Spicy No-Mayo Coleslaw

This recipe is from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything. I have only tried making it once, and feel it leaves room for improvement. I would add a little bit of honey or agave nectar and extra olive oil to balance the mustard, and maybe use lime juice and cilantro instead of lemon juice and parsley. He also suggests adding a Granny Smith apple and carrots, using apple cider vinegar, and adding a little onion for a different twist. I added carrot to mine.

Makes 8 servings
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard or to taste
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, red wine vinegar or freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, minced
I tablespoon minced fresh chile: jalapeno, Thai serrano, or habanero, or to taste (optional- I used jalapeno and it wasn’t spicy enough for me. If you like spice you might add a little more!)

Whisk above ingredients in a bowl, adding gradually:
¼ c peanut or olive oil

Combine & toss with dressing:
6 cups cored and shredded Napa, Savoy, green and/or red cabbage
1 large red or yellow bell pepper ( I used purple), diced or shredded
1/3 cup chopped scallion, more or less

Sprinkle with:
Salt and pepper to taste

Toss with:
¼ cup chopped parsley leaves

And Now for Something Completely Different . . . Cucumber Gazpacho

Okay, maybe not so different. We've had various gazpacho recipes posted on the blog and in the pages of the newsletter. But--there are still cucumbers in the harvest, so how about some cucumber gazpacho? If you still have a couple of jalapenos from a week or so ago, you are pretty much ready to go with this recipe, which is a little spicy and very tasty. Sort of a break from all those tomato recipes, too. I've been enjoying this cold soup off and on all week, it's a great cool lunch.

Spicy Cucumber Gazpacho
2 English cucumbers, peeled and chopped (4 cups chopped)
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, deribbed, and chopped
3 green onions, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, halved lengthwise, seeded and deribbed (use disposable gloves)
small handful Italian parsley, large stems removed
small handful spearmint or lemon verbena leaves (I used orange mint)
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced or pressed
½ cup chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoonsred wine vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Tabasco (or homemade) green pepper sauce, to taste (just a few drops!)
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

Garnish
¼ cup diced cucumber (with peel)
croutons

Put the cucumber, bell pepper, green onions, jalapeno chiles, parsley, spearmint or lemon verbena, and garlic into a blender or food processor to puree. Add the stock, olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt. Pulse to combine. Taste and adjust the balance of salt and lemon juice if needed.

Chill completely, and just before serving, pour the soup into bowls and garnish with diced cucumber and croutons. Makes 2 quarts; serves 6.