Wonderful winter coleslaw.

Silence Dogood here. Most of us think of coleslaw (just slaw to us Southerners) as a summer dish, a cooling, crunchy salad to bring to picnics and barbecues. But with a few twists, it makes a great full-bodied, full-flavored winter salad, too, with lots of autumn color. That’s a great thing for gardeners and homesteaders, since cabbage, carrots, apples, and onions, the four main ingredients, all store so well over the winter.

Another great thing about slaw is that it’s so easy to make, and the flavor just gets better if you make it a day in advance. If I’m rushed, I’ll just pick up bags of pre-shredded red cabbage and carrots at the grocery to make the preparation even faster. I think this colorful slaw makes a perfect side on the Thanksgiving table. I hope you agree!

                     Carrot Cabbage Confetti Slaw

 1 package shredded carrots

2 packages shredded red cabbage

1 sweet onion (Vidalia, 1015 or WallaWalla type), diced

1 crisp apple (Granny Smith, Braeburn, Winesap, Honeycrisp, Ginger Gold, or your favorite), diced

1/2 fennel bulb, thinly sliced (optional)

1 carton crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (you could substitute blue or feta cheese if desired)

2 tablespoons cracked fennel seeds or 1 tablespoon each cracked fennel and whole cumin seeds

1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds or pepitas

lemon or orange juice

extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice, vinaigrette, or Greek salad dressing

salt (we like RealSalt) and lemon pepper or fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Sprinkle apple with lemon or orange juice immediately after dicing and toss well to prevent discoloration. Toss all ingredients well to mix. Then add 1/3 to 1/2 bottle dressing or drizzle on oil and lemon juice, stirring it in gently but thoroughly to just coat the slaw. Refrigerate, covered, until time to serve, then set out (still covered) for an hour before serving to bring the slaw to room temperature.

That’s all there is to it! I’m going to go make some right now. Yum!

                   ‘Til next time,

                           Silence

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