Coleslaw is a summer staple with almost as many recipes as there are heads of cabbage.
Coleslaw is one of those dishes that’s often put together at the whim of the cook. Cabbage is the heart of the dish — although slaw can be made with broccoli — and the seasonings can range from sweet and creamy to vinegary and spicy.
Here’s a sampling of recipes from readers of the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky.
PEPPER SLAW
Barbara Harper-Bach of Lexington, Ky., makes a slaw that is very spicy. “It goes great with Mexican food and hot dogs,” she said. “This is enough slaw for a big cookout, so you may want to cut the recipe in half for the family.”
1 large head cabbage, finely shredded or chopped
1 cup vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons butter
4 beaten eggs
1/4 cup cream
Place cabbage in large bowl. In saucepan, bring vinegar, salt, spices, sugar and butter to a boil. In another bowl, beat eggs. Slowly stir vinegar mixture into eggs. Pour back into saucepan. Add cream. Cook over medium heat until thick. Pour over cabbage. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
PAULINE TULLY’S SLAW
John Tully of Lexington said his mother, the late Pauline Tully of Radcliffe, Ky., always grated cabbage for slaw, never chopped it. “I still have her grater,” he said. “It was slightly compact that way, but we boys thought it was great.”
1 small head cabbage
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
Smidgen of sugar
1/4 cup Miracle Whip
Milk or cream
Grate cabbage into medium mixing bowl. Sprinkle cabbage with salt, pepper, celery seed and sugar.
In small bowl, combine Miracle Whip with enough milk or cream to soften. Mix well. Pour over cabbage mixture.
Variation: Add 1 teaspoon crushed pineapple or chopped green pepper and a small amount of onion. Sprinkle completed dish with paprika.
GRANNIE ANNIE’S COLESLAW
“My former mother-in-law, Ann Keeton, who lived in Winchester, Ky., and who is also deceased, had a very different slaw recipe,” said Jonell Tobin of West Liberty, Ky. “This recipe is for a clear type of slaw that she kept in the refrigerator until it was eaten. She usually had it made in the summer when fresh garden vegetables were available. She was affectionately known as Grannie Annie.”
1 quart chopped cabbage
1 cup chopped carrots
2 tablespoons salt
1 cup green and red peppers, chopped
2 1/2 cups water, divided
3 cups diced celery
1 or 2 onions, chopped
1/2 cup vinegar, more if needed
3/4 cup sugar
To make cabbage mixture: In large bowl, mix together cabbage, carrots, salt, peppers, 2 cups water and celery. Let set in refrigerator overnight. Next morning, drain off liquid. Add onion.
To make dressing In small saucepan, combine vinegar, sugar and 1/2 cup water. Boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Let cool.
To finish salad: Pour cooled dressing over cabbage mixture. Mix well. (Note: Sealed in jar, slaw stays crisp in refrigerator for several days.)
ORIENTAL SLAW
Dorothy Isaacs of Nancy, Ky., said this slaw goes well with seafood.
1 package chicken-flavored ramen noodles
5 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 cup slivered almonds
1 medium head cabbage, shredded
8 green onions, chopped, white part only
6 tablespoons vinegar
4 tablespoons sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
To toast noodles: Combine noodles, sesame seeds and almonds. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake in 350-degree oven until toasted. Cool for 30 minutes.
To make salad: In large bowl, combine cabbage and onions. In another bowl, combine seasoning packet from noodles, vinegar, sugar, oil, salt and pepper. Pour over cabbage and onions. Add cooled noodle mixture. Toss.
SWEET-AND-SOUR COLESLAW
Jo Freund of Lexington makes a sweet-and-sour coleslaw.
1 head cabbage
1 cup diced celery
1 green pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon salt
1 3/4 cups sugar plus 1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
To prepare cabbage: Grate cabbage or cut into chunks. Place in food processor and pulse about 30 times. Place in large bowl with celery, green pepper and onion. Add salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. Set aside until liquid forms. Squeeze liquid off cabbage. Set aside.
To make dressing: In saucepan, combine 1 3/4 cups sugar, vinegar, water, celery seed and mustard seed. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cool thoroughly.
To dress salad: Stir cooled dressing into cabbage mixture.
Cook’s note: Prepare at least 2 days before serving. Slaw keeps in refrigerator for as long as 2 weeks.
OCILLA COLESLAW
Mary J. Wells of Lexington shares her recipe for Ocilla coleslaw. “Ocilla is a small Georgia town best known for its annual Sweet Potato Festival as well as its coleslaw. I have used this on sandwiches, and when the vegetables are gone, used the dressing for other salads.”
Makes 20 servings.
1 cup corn oil
1 cup sugar
1 cup apple-cider vinegar
2 teaspoons celery seed
2 teaspoons powdered mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large cabbage, coarsely shredded
1 large sweet onion, sliced in rings
2 green peppers, chopped coarsely
Chopped celery (optional)
To make dressing: In enamel or stainless-steel saucepan, combine corn oil, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Boil slowly for 5 minutes. Add celery seed, mustard, salt and pepper. Cool slightly.
To assemble salad: In glass or china bowl, combine cabbage, onion, green pepper and celery. Add dressing. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
COLESLAW
Larri DeGarmoe of Bryantsville, Ky., said this recipe came from her mother-in-law many years ago. “I made it just recently when we had company, and they loved it and asked for the recipe,” she said.
Makes 12 servings.
1 large head cabbage, shredded fine
1 1/2 cups onion, diced fine
1 medium green bell pepper, diced fine
1 medium red bell pepper, diced fine
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup white vinegar
In large bowl, combine cabbage, onion and peppers. In small saucepan, add salt, honey, oil, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil. Pour over cabbage mixture, but do not stir. Cover and refrigerate until cool. Stir thoroughly. (Note: Sealed in jar, slaw stays crisp in refrigerator for several days.)
