Cole slaw comes from the Dutch koolsla, meaning cabbage salad, a term that arose in the 18th century. Adding mayonnaise was introduced in the mid-18th century. Variations are known in Germany, Italy, Poland, Russia, the Ukraine, Sweden and the United Kingdom. One website said cole slaw is “the quintessential side dish for summer.” Another said “slaw is the backup dancer to flashy barbeque numbers.”
Here are variations to try this summer.
Red and Green Slaw
6 servings
This came from a food magazine of many years ago.
6 cups shredded green cabbage
- 2 ½ cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 coarsely grated carrot
- ½ cup chopped onion (optional)
- 1 small chopped sweet red pepper
- 1 T. chopped parsley
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (I prefer water)
- 2 ½ T. white vinegar (I prefer cider vinegar)
- 1 T. sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
- ¼ t. dry dill
- ¼ t. dry mustard
- 1. In a salad bowl, combine cabbages, carrot, onion (if using), red pepper and parsley.
- 2. In a jar, combine oil or water, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, dill and mustard. Cover and shake well.
- 3. Pour over cabbage mixture, mix well, cover and refrigerate until serving.
- Zucchini Slaw
5 servings
This came from a food magazine many years ago.
- 1 ½ zucchini cut into matchstick-thin strips
- 1 ½ yellow squash, cut into matchstick-thin strips
- 1 small red pepper, cut into thin
strips - 1/8 cup salad oil or water
- 1 ½ T. cider vinegar
- 1 T. mayonnaise
- ¾ t. sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
1. In a salad bowl, combine zucchini, yellow squash and red pepper.
2. In a jar, combine salad oil or water, vinegar, mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper. Close and shake well.
3. Add dressing to salad, toss gently, cover and refrigerate at least two hours.
Sybil Kaplan is a journalist, compiler/editor of nine kosher cookbooks (working on a 10th) and food writer for North American Jewish publications, who lives in Jerusalem where she leads weekly walks of the Jewish food market, Machaneh Yehudah, in English, and has written the kosher restaurant features for Janglo.net, the oldest, largest website for English-language readers since 2014.
