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Sunday, October 14, 2012

Vinegar Coleslaw with Apple

A basic vinegar coleslaw made with the addition of sweet apples and a touch of jalapeno for heat.
A basic vinegar coleslaw made with the addition of sweet apples and a touch of jalapeno for heat.

Vinegar Coleslaw with Apple

For those who were asking, this is the coleslaw that was pictured with the most recent pulled pork recipe I posted. There are essentially two basic schools of taste on coleslaw - one creamy and usually mayonnaise based, and others, like this, more heavily vinegar based. Considering that it's apple season and apples are plentiful right now, I decided to add in some grated apple to make it a little more seasonal.

You may not automatically think to use apple in a coleslaw, but, like pineapple, the sweetness of the apple is an especially perfect contrast against the vinegar dressing. It's an excellent flavor enhancement for this time of year, making it a happy addition for those of you who do serve coleslaw at the holidays.

Yes. I am old enough to be a grandma three times now, yet even with those years of life experience under my belt, I still learn something new pretty regularly. Though my family didn't, seems there are quite a few folks who traditionally have coleslaw on their holiday table. Who knew?

Speaking of that, were you also aware that apples can be frozen? The good folks over at Pick Your Own are a great resource that I recommend all the time for home preservation instructions - whether it's canning, drying or freezing. I certainly don't believe in re-inventing the wheel either, so I'm much more happy to guide you to other websites and blogs who specialize in certain areas rather than trying to prove I know it all - I certainly don't and never will!

Pick Your Own will show you step by step how to preserve apples in the freezer and thankfully, none of them involve salting, an old method of preserving that through osmosis, is more likely to result in a rubbery, salty apple than anything. According to them, the best methods to freeze apples are to use a syrup pack, or a sugar or dry pack - depending on how you later intend to use them. To hamper browning, they recommend ascorbic acid, a powdered form of Vitamin C we know most commonly as Fruit Fresh, that can be found at your store near the canning supplies.
"A Syrup Pack is preferred for apples to be used for uncooked desserts or fruit cocktail. A sugar or dry pack is good for pie making. The dry pack can be used any way. The sugar and syrup pack methods are less likely to brown or have freezer burn."
 pickyourown.org

Even though we can find apples pretty much year round and preservation isn't that much of an issue for us now, it's nice to know there are some freezer options.

Fresh apple season is still probably one of my most favorite parts of Fall and I just love the idea of an apple slaw. If you have a batch of pickled onions made up, chop those up and use them in place of the grated onion, and, if you like a little heat, drop in some chopped jalapeno for a nice kick. Give it a try. Who knows, it might just become a new holiday tradition!

Here's how to make it.



Recipe: Vinegar Coleslaw with Apple

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish
Prep time: 10 min |Inactive time: 2 hours | Yield: About 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

For the Dressing:
  • 1 cup of apple cider vinegar
  • 1-1/2 cups of granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of celery seed
  • 1 teaspoon of mustard seed
For the Slaw:
  • 1 large head of cabbage, chopped or shredded fine
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 1 green or red bell pepper (or a combination), finely chopped
  • 2 stalks (ribs) of celery, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons of grated sweet onion
  • 1 tablespoon of chopped pickled jalapeno, or to taste, optional
  • 2 large sweet apples, peeled and cored
  • Salt and pepper, as needed to taste
Instructions

In a saucepan, bring the vinegar and sugar to a boil; continue boiling until sugar is well dissolved. Let cool slightly, stir in the celery seed and mustard seed; set aside.

Place the chopped cabbage in a large bowl and add the carrot, bell pepper, celery, onion and jalapeno; toss. Shred apples on the larger holes of a grater; add to the cabbage mixture, toss and immediately pour the vinegar mixture over the cabbage mixture; stir. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired. Refrigerate for several hours before serving, stirring occasionally.

Cook's Notes: For the holidays, use half red cabbage and include a handful of dried cranberries for color. A bit of chopped pecans or walnuts would be a great addition too. A well drained 2 ounce jar of pimentos makes a nice substitute for using red bell peppers. Substitute pre-shredded angel hair cabbage if desired.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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Posted by on October 14, 2012
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