With the holiday weekend coming up and lots of barbeque grills firing up, I wanted to share a new recipe for cole slaw because it’s a perfect partner for ribs and bbqued chicken! Like a lot of family favorites, cole slaw is a personal thing–mayo vs. vinegar base, onions or no onions, etc. And I must admit that I’m a picky slaw connoisseur. My mom’s is my favorite (she makes a very basic version with mayo and celery salt) and my mother-in-law, who loves cole slaw more than anyone I know, makes a delicious dressing with vinegar, mayo, and sugar.
But this is one that I worked up based on flavors that I love. In my humble opinion, it’s just delicious, but you must like cilantro and jalapeños. I’ve made it about 5 times in the last couple of weeks…I like it that much. It’s simple, fresh, and has a tasty cast of characters-cilantro, mayo (I only use Blue Plate), canned whole jalapeños, and lime juice… and of course cabbage! Make this up fresh on the day you’re going to serve it–fresh is best, but leftovers the next day taste great, too.
Happy Labor Day Weekend! Hope you and your family enjoy good food and good times.
Cilantro Jalapeno Cole Slaw
Cilantro and jalapenos star, with mayo and lime juice as supporters-fresh, flavorful, and my new favorite!
Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups shredded/sliced green cabbage
1 1/2 cups shredded/sliced red cabbage
3/4 bunch cilantro, bottom of stems removed (if bunch is large, use about 15-20 stems of cilantro with lower portion of stem removed)
1/2 cup mayo (I use Blue Plate)
Juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 tablespoon)
3 whole jalapeños (from a can, not fresh) about 2-3 inches long each, seeds removed and ends trimmed, use less if you prefer less heat
1/4-1/2 teaspoon sea salt (to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
1. Place green and red cabbage in a large mixing bowl (I shredded mine in a food processor with a slicing blade).
2. Fit the chopping blade into the bowl of a food processor. Add in cilantro, mayo, lime juice, jalapeños, and salt and pepper.
3. Pulse about 15 to 20 times or until cilantro and jalapeños are finely chopped and well blended.
4. Remove blade from bowl and pour sauce over cabbage, scrapping down the sides (and lid if needed) of the food processor bowl with a spatula. Mix cole slaw well. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir well before serving.
Nan's notes: If you’ve not tried canned whole jalapeños before, they are wonderful! My friend from the Cuisinart team, Diane Welsh, introduced me to them and I’m hooked! I use them a lot in nachos, salsa, and especially this slaw. They make this flavor! Adjust the amount to your taste–some peppers are hotter than others. For the cilantro, I almost use a whole bunch, so I’ve said 3/4 bunch to estimate it though it may not be exact. Reduce the amount or add more according to your taste. UPDATED Sept 15, 2019: I realized, after shopping for cilantro at several different stores, that all bunch sizes are not the same! So, on average, I put about 15-20 stems of cilantro per recipe. Adjust to your tastes!