I had two favorite cookbooks out on the kitchen table opened to recipes for coleslaw: The Taste of Summer and Earth To Table Every Day.
Susan saw them and asked what I was looking for. I told here and a few minutes later she came back into the kitchen and gave me a copy of this recipe. I am so happy she did. Delicious!
Quoting from Cooking at The New York Times:
“This vegan recipe fulfills the need for a creamy slaw that can sit out in the sun. Instead of dairy and raw egg yolks, this slaw is slicked with tahini and mustard. Capers, lemon zest and scallions are smashed into a coarse paste, then massaged into the cabbage to lend umami and a salty punch. Snap peas and radishes add crunch, but feel free to swap in celery, jicama, fennel or other vegetables. This is a decidedly savory slaw; if you want some sweetness, add honey to the dressing, to taste. The slaw can sit out — poolside, deskside, at a picnic — for up to 3 hours, and it keeps for 3 days in the fridge.”
Note my changes in bold below.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons capers
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest plus 5 tablespoons lemon juice (from 2 to 3 lemons)
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced (Note: used 1/4 cup of diced red onion.)
- 1 medium Savoy or other green cabbage (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), cored and thinly sliced (Note: I used red cabbage as that is what was in my fridge.)
- I large carrot grated (Note: My addition.)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, plus more to taste
- 8 ounces snap peas, thinly sliced lengthwise (Note: I used a cucumber instead.)
- 3 large or 6 small radishes, cut into matchsticks (Note: I didn’t have any but I did add 1/3 cup unsalted peanuts!)
Preparation
- Chop and smash the capers, lemon zest and half the scallions together into a coarse, wet paste. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon salt and the scallion-caper mixture. Massage with your hands until the cabbage is slightly wilted.
- Prepare the dressing: In a liquid measuring cup, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup lemon juice, the tahini and mustard. Add water until thick but pourable (about 3 tablespoons depending on tahini brand). Season to taste with salt and pepper and another teaspoon of mustard for more kick, if desired.
- Add the snap peas, radishes and remaining scallions to the cabbage, then stir in enough dressing to lightly coat. (Leftover dressing will keep for up to a week; thin with water as needed.) Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.
Based on a recipe from Ali Slagel.
Bruce Barone 