"cole slaw" news and stories

Broccoli stems may be getting an inferiority complex in the U.S. So many cooks do nothing more than cut them from the florets and toss them. Asian cooks may think us slightly demented, as some of the vegetable's best flavor is in the stem, not the crown. Blogger Rachel at Coconut & Lime has got it going on with stems in her recipe for a slaw of shredded broccoli and carrots, with a sweet-spicy-tart dressing that incorporates Japanese mirin (rice wine) and seven-spice powder. (The spice powder, shichimi togarashi, is a blend that includes hemp, poppy and sesame seeds; dried chiles and nori; Szechuan peppercorns and grated orange peel. You can buy it premixed or use this recipe to make it yourself.)

If you start digging broccoli stems, try these recipes for skillet-browned broccoli with pan-toasted garlic, or broccoli with spicy tahini.

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Remember Cabbage Patch Kids, those odd dolls with the gigantic heads that were big in the '80s? Well, think about the cabbage patch again, but this time think of it as a way to put a great slaw on the table, and do your heart a favor at the same time. This red cabbage slaw, from a recipe by blogger gluttonousvegan, and photographed by littlebluehen, is spiked with lime juice, garlic, cilantro and red onion, with a splash of agave syrup for a hint of sweetness. It makes a crisp side for grilled meats (like this recipe for Spice-Rubbed Grilled Pork Chops with Red Cabbage Slaw), or you can eat it on its own (even stuffed in a pita, for lunch).

Red cabbage is loaded with anthocyanins, the plant pigments that not only make some vegetables and fruits gorgeously red, purple and blue, but may help you ward off cancer, keep your heart healthy and boost brain power. (Read more about the benefits of phytonutrients here.) And that's about the only reason you need to put cabbage back on the menu.

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I'll certainly admit to having one heck of a lot of 'cue country exploration left to do in my lifetime, but thus far I've yet to encounter any venue outside of North Carolina slinging BBQ slaw alongside their meat. It's an essential side for Lexington style, vinegar-kissed chopped pork, and gets its characteristic pink tint from a dollop of ketchup or barbecue sauce. Also -- it's pretty darned delicious, and provides a pleasantly crunchy textural contrast with the rich, soft strands of slow-cooked shoulder.

From Searching for the Dixie Barbecue, Journeys into the Southern Psyche by Wilber W. Caldwell (2005):

"In the central North Carolina Piedmont you will often find what locals there call "red coleslaw" on the plate next to your chopped pork barbecue. This tangy variation replaces the usual mayonnaise-based slaw dressing with a catsup-and-vinegar-based dressing. In fact, it is not unusual for Upcountry slaw all over Dixie to be spiked with a big splash of barbecue finishing sauce. Whether a sweet/sour tomato-based, spicy mix, either right from the store-bought jar or from some dusty bottle of secret brew, this spicy addition turns the coleslaw sauce either red or a rich brown color and creates what most Southerners called "barbecued coleslaw."

Surely food experts and gourmets all over the planet will ... most certainly suggest that this "barbecue on barbecue" presentation robs the meal of balance. ... Southerners will scoff at this suggestion. Everyone down here knows that if a little barbecue sauce it good, then a whole lot is even better."

If you happen by High Point, NC, do stop into Carter Brothers BBQ (from whence the above pictured platter of BBQ came on this most recent Christmas Eve) for some of the finest chopped (regular or coarse -- they're both good) pork BBQ you'll ever have the pleasure of eating.

BBQ Slaw is recipe after the jump. Got one of your own? Might you please be so kind as to kick back with a Cheerwine and share it in the comments?

When most people look at commercials for Klondike bars, I imagine that they see silly people doing fun, wacky things in return for yummy ice cream treats. Personally, I see cruelty, torture, and the dark side of addiction. Hunger is a harsh mistress; luckily, I've never been placed in a situation where I've had to do something embarrassing or illegal to get fed. To my shame, I have to admit that, under the right circumstances, I would probably humiliate myself for a Klondike bar. If the reward was a nice crême brûlée, there's no doubt: all bets would be off.

Because of this moral shortcoming, I can, to some extent, understand Tremayne Durham. A Brooklyn thug who was being held in an Oregon courthouse, Durham recently admitted that he did, indeed, kill a man in cold blood over a failed business deal. In return for his candor, he's probably facing life imprisonment.

What caused Durham to admit to his wrongdoing? Was it depression, guilt, a need for forgiveness, the first step on the road to redemption? No, Durham plead guilty to aggravated murder in return for a gargantuan fast-food feast. He received a bucket of KFC chicken, a bucket of Popeye's chicken, a serving of mashed potatoes, a serving of coleslaw, a slice of carrot cake, a pizza, two calzones, a tray of lasagna and a bucket of ice cream. The entire proceeding cost the state of Oregon a mere $41.70.

As Durham discovers that justice is sometimes served with a side of cole slaw, I'm going to start taking the idea of fast food addiction a lot more seriously...

• Mmmm...stuffed apples.
• Another idea for your leftover Thanksgiving turkey.
• Speaking of turkey, here's a guide to thawing and roasting yours.
• Kids can make apple pie too.
• Cooking with cheesecloth.
• A big holiday food myth is debunked.
• Restaurant reviews of places in New Hampshire and on Newbury Street.
• More recipes: Macomber Turnip Soup, Overnight Pan Rolls, Red and Green Cole Slaw, and Spicy Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Fries.