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Sweet & Tangy Coleslaw

Posted on 05/14/2010 by Maura

When I was younger my gymnastics teacher told me mayo was made from lard and I have never gotten over that, even though I know it isn’t true.  This made it so I vehemently avoided anything containing mayo for a good 15 years of my life.  However, running a food blog causes one to expand their palette, believe it or not, and come to find out, mayo isn’t gross! It can actually be quite tasty.

I’m still not a huge fan of it, though, so I searched high and low to find a coleslaw recipe that didn’t consist of solely mayonnaise as the dressing.  I should have known to turn to Ina sooner, but finding a good thing often takes time, and in this case it was worth it.

This coleslaw is perfect for me because it is held together by mustard, mayo and a little apple cider vinegar, giving it the perfect balance of sweet, creamy and tangy.  The blue cheese really kicks up the flavor, and I suggest you try it even if you aren’t a blue cheese lover.  While it isn’t the prettiest subject to photograph, especially with my cheap digital camera, the taste was nothing short of wonderful.

Since there a few things that get me in the summer mood more than a barbecue, this recipe will be my go-to this summer.  The smell of the grill, cold beer, good friends and beautiful weather embody summer for me.  And, with a barbecue comes great sides, which means this recipe.  Make this for your next barbecue.  It is especially good served with pulled pork.

Sweet & Tangy Coleslaw

Makes 8-10 servings

Ingredients

1/2 small head green cabbage

1/2 small head red cabbage

4 large carrots, peeled and shredded

1-2 jalapenos, diced

1/4-1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves (I don’t like parsley too much so I used 1/4)

2 cups (16 ounces) mayonnaise

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons whole grain mustard

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon celery seed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) blue cheese (optional)

Instructions

Mix the mayonnaise, mustards, vinegar, celery seed, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Let the flavors meld while you prepare the vegetables.

Halve the cabbages and cut out the cores. Slice the cabbages into very thin slivers and put in a large bowl.  Stir in the shredded carrot, jalapeno and parsley.  Mix the dressing in with the vegetables–but do it in increments as I only needed about half the dressing.  Try to mix about an hour before serving to let the flavors come together.  Top with blue cheese before serving and toss.

Recipe adapted from Ina Garten

About Maura

I have a secret: I cannot do anything in moderation. I always have to take things to the extreme, at the expense of my own and my family's sanity and often times my dad’s checkbook. When I started taking horseback riding lessons, I insisted on having a pony. When I ice skated for probably the second time, I made my mom buy me ice skates that were never again worn. When I thought I wanted to be a teacher, I made my parents turn one of the rooms in the basement into a school room, stocked with an overhead projector, pull-down maps and a real, classroom-sized chalkboard and white board. When I discovered cooking I bossed my older sister around in the kitchen for an entire day, forcing her to make dozens of recipes with me against her will and then had her do all the dishes (sorry Cait). And, when I discovered food blogs I bought the biggest binder I could find, printed out 250 recipes in one day and laminated and categorized each one. My dad was not happy about the ink situation. So, what does this tell you about me? For one, you can trust that every recipe I post is more than delicious and has been meticulously tried and tested for you. Also, that I’m an anal freak. Enjoy! View all posts by Maura → This entry was posted in Side Dishes, Vegetables and tagged barbecue, cabbage, cole slaw, coleslaw, side dish, vegetable. Bookmark the permalink. ← Asparagus Tempura with Ginger-Soy Dipping Sauce Strawberry Shortcake Cake →