seeded cole slaw

[anaesthete]

Cole slaw need not be a boring flavorless affair. When I saw this recipe in one of my favorite blogs, I knew I had to make it for my barbecue. I've made three batches now; the best so far was made with cipollini onions and crème fraîche.

Slaw

• 6 cups finely shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup sweet white onion sliced very thinly
• handful of sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
• 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Buttermilk dressing

• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon sugar

DIY crème fraîche dressing

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 24 hours
• splash cider vinegar

Shred cabbage very finely. Use a mandoline if you have one; I just use my big knife to keep choppin' until the bits are small enough. Place in colander and toss with salt. Let sit at least one hour.

Slice the onion, then rinse thoroughly in cold water and set aside.

Soak the mustard seeds in hot water.

Toast the caraway, fennel, and sunflower (if unroasted) seeds in a small pan on high heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Mix in with the onions.

Rinse the cabbage and dry as completely as you can. Place dry cabbage in small bowl and toss with onion/seed mixture and mustard seeds. Mix in either buttermilk dressing or crème fraîche. Cover and chill for several hours, preferably overnight.

Chef Notes:

• I didn't have unroasted sunflower seeds, so I used roasted unsalted. If your seeds look shiny or have a slightly oily texture, they've been roasted and should not be toasted with the other seeds.
• To make the crème fraîche, combine the buttermilk and cream and let sit out at room temperature uncovered for at least 24 hours. When ready to add to the slaw, add a splash of cider vinegar.


• The fermentation needs oxygen, but you can lay a paper towel on top if you're paranoid about bugs n dust as I am. Once the fermentation is done, you can cover and refrigerate for at least a week. My last batch was in the fridge for over two, and it was extra tangy and awesome. Remember, how long it keeps will depend on the freshness of your original ingredients and how cool your fridge is.