Roxy’s Grated Coleslaw
My friend Roxy makes this zingy coleslaw, which I love for its sweet and tangy flavors. It’s as close as I come to making that classic, creamy Southern slaw that goes with everything from pulled pork or fried fish to burgers and fries. It also makes a great topping for grilled hot dogs or chicken sausages served in grilled pita bread.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Place the vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat and boil, uncovered, until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the honey and set the mixture aside to cool.
Step 2
Combine the cabbage, carrots, and scallions in a large bowl. Pour the vinegar mixture on top and toss to coat evenly. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and toss again. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.
Step 3
In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, mustard, and cayenne. Stir to blend, then add the parsley. Toss the mayonnaise mixture with the cabbage mixture. Taste for seasonings and adjust, if necessary. Serve chilled or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days until ready to serve.
Chew on this: About Pole Beans
Step 4
When I was growing up, my grandmother called pole beans (as well as green beans and wax beans) “snap beans” for the sound they made when you snapped them in half or crunched into one raw. I can remember many evenings spent on Granny Foster’s porch trimming and halving a large colander of pole beans. As much as the flavor of the beans, that snapping sound takes me right back to my childhood.
Step 5
Pole beans, which are named for their habit of climbing poles, trellises, and fences like peas, are like long, broad versions of green beans. They are tender enough to eat raw, but because they have thick, tough skin and house larger beans, require a little extra cooking. There are many varieties of pole bean, ranging from curved yellow Annelinos and curlicue Ram’s Heads to big green Musicas and long Purple Peacocks, but my favorites are the full-flavored, flat Italian Romanos. Before preparing this salad, find a seat on a porch or in a yard with a bowl of rinsed beans and get snapping.
