Orange Cilantro Cole Slaw
Orange Cilantro Cole Slaw
Back in what seems like forever ago now, I worked for a catering company in New York where it seemed my tasks often included tedious jobs that others weren’t called on to do. I was good with my hands, and detail oriented, but it sometimes got- well, tedious.
One of those jobs was slicing – by hand, with a chef’s knife – cabbage for cole slaw. If it was a large party, the job of slicing the cabbage could take quite a while. One day, I complained to the chef asking if she couldn’t get the cabbage pre-shredded to speed up the job. She said “but then you wouldn’t have a job to do”. That one was to shut up a complaining prep cook.
One of the upsides of the job, however, was the freedom to create dishes. I was often just given a general direction to make a stuffing or a sauce or, in this case, a cole slaw, without restriction. As a result, it was there that I began the journey of creating dishes.
One of my favorite dishes created in that kitchen was this delicious Orange Cilantro Cole Slaw. This 4th of July I was privileged to spend the morning cooking and then later, eating, with my friend Keith, and his and his wife, Beth’s, guests. We served this slaw alongside Planked Salmon and an herb brined and mustard grilled pork loin. Keith made Hawaiian style potato salad – a lot like the Southern potato salad I’m used to, except for the addition of little elbow macaroni. And yes, everyone agreed that the cole slaw is delicious.
BTW, I use a little Benriner Japanese Mandolin Vegetable Slicer
Orange Cilantro Cole Slaw
I created this tasty slaw, back in what now seems like forever ago, when I worked for a New York York City caterer. I seemed to often be in charge of making the cole slaw, which involved the tedious task of slicing of mounds of cabbage (we didn’t have a mandolin which I recommend). The upside was that I was left alone to create new versions – and I happen to love this one.
- 1/2 large green cabbage, sliced thinly
- 1/2 medium carrot, grated
- 2-3 tablespoons red cabbage, sliced thinly
- 3 – 4 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2-3 tablespoons best quality apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Asian chili garlic sauce
- Zest of 1 large orange, finely grated
- Freshly ground white pepper, to taste
- Add both the cabbages and the carrots to a large bowl.
- For the dressing: In a smaller bowl, whisk the remaining ingredients together, then add the dressing to the cabbage and carrot mixture. A bit more fresh pepper, cilantro, or even chili garlic sauce can be added if you feel the need for a little more spice in your life.
Yield: 6 -8 servings
2 Comments
Ah the tedium of a prep cook that turns fun when asked to create something. Love this recipe.
July 15, 2016
Slaw slicing is a chore, I’ll check out your recommended slicer. I’ve tried the Cuisinart but it’s a little too brutal. GREG
July 23, 2016